Social supermarket is 'a hand up, not a handout'
BBCThought to be the UK's first social supermarket when it launched in Lambeth a decade ago, Community Shop in Norwood became the heart of the area.
The shop is not a foodbank - even though it is stocked with donations.
Residents sign up to become members, and then get their shopping for about a third of the price of an ordinary supermarket.
Any profit made by selling the groceries is invested in the on-site cafe, specialising in healthy, low cost meals - a plate of jerk chicken, rice and vegetables costs £1.50.
What is food poverty?
There is no official definition, but a household can broadly be defined as experiencing food poverty or household food insecurity if they cannot (or are uncertain about whether they can) acquire "an adequate quality or sufficient quantity of food in socially acceptable ways".
The most common cause is having a low income, and it can be escalated by high costs of food or of the transportation of food, limited availability of food, and inability to prepare food.
About seven million families live in food poverty in the UK, the head of Community Shop Gary Stott said, admitting that food banks play a "vitally important role".
He added: "The question for us was, what kind of service to you offer to those families so the number using the food bank didn't become more?
"It's about a hand up, not a handout."
Michelle Campbell, a single mum of three, has been using Community Shop for the past six years.
She also learnt to cook there - including a course on food safety - and volunteers in the cafe.
Her children go to workshops and activities and the affordable prices mean they can try new flavours, broaden their tastes and put newfound cookery skills to the test.
Ms Campbell said all of these elements help her take care of her mother, who is disabled and also lives with her.
Community Shop is just as much "community" as "shop" - everyone seems to know each other, and many have been using it for years.
Catherine, shopping with her adult son, is one of them: "I know everyone in here, the food is good, the prices are brilliant.
"You can have fun and a laugh and a joke in here - I love it."
Fellow shopper Phyllis, who is in recovery from cancer, said those "who haven't got people to talk to at home" meet at the shop.
She added: "We all have a chat, a cup of tea. It's nice and friendly."
And Derrick, a customer of seven or eight years, said the staff were "fantastic".
"And I've heard there is nothing like this anywhere else in town."
Of the 14 Community Shops across the UK, this is the only one in the capital.
But four more London boroughs are in discussions with the Community Shop group about opening a store, with the backing of Comic Relief.
Mr Stott said "We've ramped up our partnership, and they've ramped up their support for us.
"We're going to be offering that food-related support to tens of thousands more people through Comic Relief."
Programming to mark the 40th anniversary of Comic Relief is on BBC One tonight at 19:30.
Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected]