"I was crying and apologising and they said to me that's what they're there for"
A Harrogate mum's urging people to not be worried about what others might think if you need to ask for help
A Harrogate mum has said she was "ashamed" at the thought of asking for help until she was taken in by a community food shop.
Kayleigh Cooper has four young children and was told to visit Resurrected Bites at New Park Community Grocery on West Street because she was struggling financially, but she worried about what people might think of her if she admitted it.
She lost her job during the first lockdown while she was pregnant with her fourth child and split with her partner, leaving her to look after three children with a fourth on the way and no source of income.
Kayleigh, said:
"If I had the money I could easily spend £80 a week because they get through it so easily. It was a really difficult time for me after I lost my job. It was brutal; I didn't feel like I had anyone to turn to and that I was on my own. I felt really isolated.
"I'm one of those people where I think 'I'll do it myself. I don't want to reach out' but when I went down to see what it was all about I did break down and I did get upset but looking back it was a good decision that I made and I hope other people make that decision too.
"In this town, because it's got a lot of money, the people that don't have money get lost. It's really quite sad because I felt quite discriminated because of my financial situation and that's part of why I didn't want to come down at the beginning. I didn't want anyone to see me there.
"I felt quite ashamed of myself that I was letting my kids down. As a mum you want to do it all yourself and you want to be the provider. I was beside myself and crying and apologising and they just said don't be silly, that's what we're here for."
The community grocery, which opened in October, offers an affordable way for individuals and families to access good quality food. Not only does this help people to save money, it also means they're helping the environment by stopping good quality food going to landfill.
The food comes from supermarkets and other suppliers which might otherwise have to throw it away. Often, the food reaches them because of an over-supply that means there’s too much to sell or because it is close to its ‘best before’ date. ‘Best before’ dates indicate when food is at its freshest, and are not the same as ‘use by’ dates, so the food is always completely safe to eat and often still just as good as the day it was made.
The community groceries are run through a subscription scheme and are for people on a low income. For a £5 annual fee, subscribers can have access to the shop and pay a very low rate for whatever you buy.
Sophia, manager at the grocery, said:
"I've watched Kayleigh come in crying and upset and terrified about being shamed and she's changed into a completely different person who is thriving now. She's gone from the bottom and we're helping her get to the top and that's what this is all about.
"We run alongside the store budgeting advice, parenting club, debt management, job clubs so we're aiming to support people with the shopping and food but also long-term to get them back on track for the future."
A 1-2 person shop costs members £3, a 3-4 person shop costs £6 and a 5-6 person shop costs £9.
New Park Community Grocery on West Street is open Tuesday and Thursday 9.30am until 3pm.
Resurrected Bites are also preparing to open a second grocery in Knaresborough on 7 December 2021 at Gracious St Methodist church. This will open Tuesday and Fridays 9.30am until 3.30pm.