Taking our Social Supermarket on the Road
The LCCCT Kickstart Social Supermarket at LCC Community Trust isn’t your average Tesco shop – it’s a lifeline to people facing financial hardship. It is designed to support hose struggling to guarantee the essentials by offering affordable food and comprehensive wraparound care.
Participants can access discounted groceries, reducing their food bill by up to 40% and along with their stress in feeding their family. But the help doesn’t stop at discounted food: at LCCCT clients are offered personal mentoring, tailored support and advice around benefits, housing, and wellbeing and the opportunity to attend budgeting and cooking classes. Crucially, it’s a place where people are not just given a handout but a place where they are given the chance to be in charge of their future.
It’s no exaggeration to say that the Social Supermarket is transforming lives across the greater Lisburn area.
Our Outreach and Food Coordinator, Fiona, has been out and about bringing our Social Supermarket to life across the wider Lisburn community! Through her fantastic work, she has taken the service directly to areas that might otherwise have been unable to access it ensuring that more people can benefit from the support it provides.
“The outreach programme makes a real difference in every community I visit,” Fiona explains. “By meeting people where they are – single parents, older neighbours, adults with learning disabilities, and those rebuilding their lives after prison – I can help them find support they didn’t even know existed.”
The outreach initiatives in Ballybean, Ballymacash, and Moneyreagh have achieved remarkable results, with participants saving an average of £53 per week on food costs. Beyond the savings, clients have gained essential budgeting skills, helping them to maximise their income and make confident financial choices. Participants have also had the opportunity to complete a short Food Values course, equipping them with the knowledge to make healthier and more cost-effective food choices.
Thanks to LCC Community Trust’s strong local networks, the support extends well beyond groceries. “Because of those connections, I’m able to link people into services that ease the pressure and uncover the real reasons they’re struggling,” Fiona says.
She adds: “I truly love this work. Getting to know people, listening without judgement, and understanding what makes them tick is a blessing. Everyone’s story is different and helping someone feel more hopeful and in control again is the best part of my day.”
We look forward to seeing Fiona’s outreach work continue to reach even more communities and change more lives throughout 2026.