Walsall Council is continuing its commitment to supporting families access essentials through the cost of living crisis with the launch of two new community shops in the first week of August.
Official launch of Lucy’s Pantry community shop in The Saddlers Shopping Centre
Lucy’s Pantry officially opened the doors to its new, expanded premises at Saddlers Shopping Centre on Tuesday 5 August, offering a dignified, low-cost food shopping experience to residents across the borough.
This will be followed two days later by the opening of the Love Blakenall Community Hub at Blakenall Village Centre on Thursday 7 August.
“ We’re proud to be supporting the expansion of Walsall’s community shop network, ensuring that help is available where it’s most needed. These shops are more than just affordable food outlets; they are places of community, connection and resilience. The rising cost of living is affecting many in our borough, and these community-run spaces offer both practical support and a welcoming environment for everyone. We want people to feel empowered, not stigmatised, and to know that help is here in their neighbourhoods. By offering a shopping experience that feels familiar and dignified, community shops also remove the stigma often associated with food banks, allowing families to access what they need without feeling set apart. “
Councillor Pardeep Kaur, Portfolio Holder for Housing Support and Resident Access at Walsall Council.
Lucy’s Pantry, which launched in 2021, has now moved into a larger unit next to Greggs in Saddlers Shopping Centre. Open five days a week, it offers affordable groceries, fresh produce, toiletries, and more, with added community features such as a children’s book swap and cooking classes. Membership costs just £5 per year, and the first 100 sign-ups are free. Residents can join at www.lucyspantry.co.uk/membership.
The new Love Blakenall Community Hub will open at Blakenall Village Centre on Thursday 7 August from 10am to 12pm. Located at 79 Thames Road, Bloxwich, the hub combines a community shop, charity shop, and new meeting spaces to serve residents in the north of the borough.
Community shops typically offer a range of everyday essentials – including food, toiletries and cleaning products – at significantly reduced prices. Membership is open to all, regardless of benefit status.
Walsall Council has invested £200,000 to establish a network of not-for-profit community shops across the borough, which are largely volunteer-run. All income is reinvested into sustaining and growing the shops for the benefit of local communities.
The first community shop supported by Walsall Council was launched at the Stan Ball Centre, Bloxwich, in January this year.