A north-east church has been awarded with a £10,000 grant to expand its innovative scheme, which supports families on low incomes.
The Grace Church Family in Royal Deeside has received the National Lottery Community Fund cash boost in recognition of their work since the onset of the pandemic in March.
In the past nine months, the charity has supported more than 130 people during the crisis through collecting shopping and prescriptions, providing emergency food supplies and fuel grants, and most recently through the launch of their new social supermarket.
The Restart Social Supermarket scheme was launched in September to offer support to those who are faced with financial difficulties.
Members can select £10 worth of fresh food, toiletries and household items every week from an online store for a low membership fee of £2 per week.
The funding will help the charity move into new premises in the Banchory area next year and employ new staff, as they look to broaden the range of goods on offer and to expand the membership of the supermarket.
Willy Robertson, one of the leaders of the church, said: “The heart behind the social supermarket is to support people on low incomes in a way which values the dignity of the members by making the experience as close to a normal online grocery shopping experience as possible.
“We’re not a food bank, and we’re not a commercial supermarket, but what we do achieve is a way for people who are in genuine need to receive a helping hand during difficult times in a discrete and convenient way.”