Riverside is supporting a cooperative food store in Wavertree, in a bid to combat food poverty in its neighbourhoods.

The social landlord is funding a project officer at the L15 FoodHub at Frontline Centre, which is set to open on Wednesday 20 April.

For £2.50 a week, residents can join up as members and access a guaranteed 10 items from a huge variety of groceries, fresh fruit and veg, plus all the usual store-cupboard favourites.

The average shopping basket is worth more than £15 at retail value, saving members more than £600 on food bills each year.

Karl Delamar is Riverside’s community engagement manager in the area.   He said: “We are supporting this project as well as local foodbanks. People are only allowed three visits to a foodbank, within a six month period, so they often fall back into food poverty once their allocation is exhausted. The FoodHub is a great way to access cheap, healthy food and ensure a meal on the table for struggling families.”

Riverside is working with Imagine If Trust and Liverpool Mutual Homes (LMH) on the project. The aim is to sign up 100 members who have previously used the foodbank at the centre.

Tammie Leddy, 42, from Old Swan, is the new project officer at the L15 FoodHub. She was a volunteer at the foodbank and now has secured part-time time paid employment, thanks to Riverside funding the post. Tammie said: “I already know some members who have signed up from my volunteering role with the foodbank. We are hoping to spread the word and build up membership gradually.”