COMMUNITY leaders were in attendance to see the grand opening of The Well’s Community Grocers yesterday.

The Dalton Road shop is a community run project to help those struggling with addiction in Barrow.

The community supermarket, which offers cheap but healthy food for disadvantaged people, also offers a place where conversations over where to seek help can start.

David Higham, founder of The Well, said: “It’s a celebration of all the hard work that has gone in to setting this all up and being a beacon in the community by providing something that all the community can use.

“It’s for anyone to come to break through no matter what they’re going through.

“This event is to highlight all the support we had as it has been instrumental in our development.

“We can’t do this alone.

"We need the partnership and community.

"Together we are stronger and we can make a better safer environment for people to live.

“We’re really grateful for all the supporters, both the partnership, and what we do together.”

Claire Hensman, the Lord Lieutenant of Cumbria, said: “The Well is what everyone here has been needing for a long time. Barrow had a bad reputation before and there is work going on here that is the beginning of something good.

“It has to be done by the community and accessed by people who want to reach the end of the road after they have been at rock bottom.

“If you go to Alcoholics Anonymous it’s tricky, but this is much more about the whole person.”

Peter McCall, Cumbria's police and crime commissioner, said: “For me the drug issue is massive, and not just about victims, but it’s the crimes they commit and the broken families that can result from this.

"The cost of that is huge.

“The real problem is why people use drugs in the first place.

“It is about creating a community for them.

"This is just another fantastic example providing the basics necessities of life.

"It is fantastic to see.”