Feeding Families. When the pandemic struck in 2020, the Phoenix Community Association saw the immediate impact of food poverty within the community, and in response to the deep levels of food inequality in our local area, the residents group set up an instant response which became the Phoenix Food Hub. This was developed in partnership with the Brighton and Hove Food Partnership, Brighton and Hove Council, the Trust for Developing Communities, Phoenix Art Space and Hyde Foundation. Due to our existing relationship with those most at need, we were able to quickly ascertain who we could support. We knew the priorities in our community and those people most vulnerable and most in need.

As the nature of the Covid-19 emergency response has evolved, along with changes in the support available, we have reviewed our approach to ongoing food needs within our community. This has led us to develop a Social Supermarket model, called the Phoenix Food Shop, which builds on our efforts, knowledge and experience in order to provide an affordable food shop run by the community, for the community. Our ethos has stayed the same – we aim to feed people, to provide good quality, nutritional food, to support our community and local businesses, to help educate people around nutrition and to avoid food wastage, all at an affordable price.