With bills continually rising, many people are left wondering how they’re going to afford the food they need for themselves and their family. Many now find themselves having to choose between heating and eating. This is a choice no-one should have to make. Desperate to give families access to affordable food, a new Community Grocery opened its doors in Hattersley on Monday 28th September 2026.

Providing affordable food for members as well as access to support courses too, the Community Grocery will be open to everyone and part of a network of over 35 stores right across the UK. Step inside and you’ll find the same range of products you’d expect to see in your local supermarkets, including fresh fruit and vegetables, tinned goods, bakery items, frozen food, sanitary products and household items.

Signing up at the grocery is easy and open to anyone. The store gives members, who would otherwise find it hard to put food on the table, somewhere where they can do a food shop for as little as £5 choosing the items they’d like for their family and the size of shop they’d like to do. The impact Community Groceries have on lives is huge, with members who use stores saying, “As soon as I found the Community Grocery, it was like a weight lifted off my shoulders”, “Great quality at low cost open to all, just what the area needs” and “A really good place to go if cash is tight. Spent £13 and probably got over £30 worth of food.”

Hattersley Community Grocery is being run in partnership by The Message Trust and St Barnabus Church, with support from Tameside Council and funding from the UK Government. It is hoped that the store will be the first of a number to open across Tameside.

Andy Hawthorne OBE, Global Chief Executive and Founder of The Message Trust said: “Escalating prices are having a massive impact on everyone’s lives, but for many it’s made life so difficult that they are having to choose between heating or eating. We can’t stand by and do nothing, so the Community Grocery is here to help and that’s why we’re opening a new store in Hattersley. Bridging the gap between food banks and supermarkets, we’re here to make it easier for our members to put food on the table by reducing the cost of the weekly shop, whilst also providing them with support and courses too. We can’t wait to welcome local residents to Hattersley Community Grocery.”

Reverend Sam Durdant-Hollamby, Vicar at St Barnabas, Hattersley said: “As a church we are so excited about the Community Grocery opening. We’re always looking for ways to serve our neighbours and the Community Grocery gives us a tangible way to do this. It will help feed families, signpost people to support, and give people opportunities to join in with groups at every age and stage of life.” 

Tameside Council Executive Member for Finance and Resources Cllr Hugh Roderick said: “I’m pleased to be working with our partners and the community to open this Community Grocery in Hattersley, with more stores to follow across Tameside. Community Groceries offer practical support and choice that genuinely strengthens households across Tameside.

“I know how the cost of living can be a daily challenge for many – I volunteer in a local food bank and see for myself the difference practical community support can make for those in crisis. Community Groceries enhance and broaden the offer by providing a sustainable, longer-term solution. They give residents access to affordable food, reduce financial pressure on households and help people maintain their independence. By working together, food banks and Community Groceries ensure that support is available when people need it most, while helping them move towards greater security and wellbeing.”

Membership costs just £1 per year and members are able to visit the store multiple times a week, choosing their own shopping for their families. 

Hattersley Community Grocery will be found at St Barnabas Church Hattersley, Hattersley Rd East, Hyde, SK14 3EQ and will be open 9:30am – 4:30pm Monday – Friday each week. 

To find out more about Hattersley Community Grocery head to communitygrocery.org.uk/hattersley