Mayor opens Community Store

Yesterday, the Mayor of Newton Abbot, Councillor Louise Cooke, had the pleasure of opening the Community Store, operated by THAT Foodbank. on Queensway in Buckland.

FareShare is an organisation that collects food that is close to is use-by date from supermarkets. This food is then sold on to food banks and community stores at a much reduced rate. Rob, a trustee, said that they have received about 150kg of food from FareShare. Anyone can then go into the shop and buy food, selected by themselves, for £5. The only stipulation is that at least one item from each of five categories is selected.

"As of January 2026, 4.5 million children (one in three) live in relative poverty nationwide," the Mayor says. "Of these, 1.9 million live in 'deep material poverty, according to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Charities such as THAT Foodbank and Community Store on Queensway will be a valuable asset to many families struggling in Newton Abbot. It was a privilege to meet the volunteers and speak to some who had come to shop. I wish THAT Foodbank all the best for the future."