A CHARITY is opening a new community shop after the cancellation of a pantry service.

Millom Network Centre’s Community (MNC) Food Pantry was forced to shut down due to a lack of available food.

Sue Dust, Office Manager of Millom Network Centre, said that 'given the financial climate that everyone is still enduring' there was a suggestion to open a Community Shop at Unit 3, where they could offer 'decent quality food at sensible and affordable prices.'

She said: "Our driven and passionate CEO Angela Dixon along with one of our members of MNC’s Trustee Board Sarah Sharpe got their heads together and begun a fact-finding mission along with sourcing and securing available funding.

"Sarah visited a couple of similar enterprises to get an idea of how they ran along with any helpful advice.

"Once funding was in place, it was all systems go, from decorating the room allocated to ordering shelving and appliances to fit out the new shop."

The Mail: Fitting out of the shop.Fitting out of the shop. (Image: Sue Dust)

MNC are looking to open the shop on April 11 2023.

The shop will be open from 10am until 2pm on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday with a yearly membership of £5 open to all.

Sue said: "We envisage this being an asset to the community of Millom  which is always at the heart of all that MNC does.

"It also means that should anyone require further help or advice there is access for them with our wrap-around service.

"The excitement is mounting as now we are seeing it becoming a reality, as until funding was in place we could only hope. Again, this is all thanks to the the determination of Angela and Sarah.

"As Millom always seems to be on the forgotten edge of our county, the community of Millom is used to having to take care of their own, the opening of this shop is just another way MNC can help people make their money go that extra bit further as what they save via our shop can maybe help them pay an extra bill or top up their gas or electricity."