CRISIS stricken families struggling in food poverty will have a new alternative to food banks which gives them a 'hand up, not a hand out'.
A new Community Shop will open in Athersley providing low cost food as well as services to support people in a range of areas including debt and money advice, employment and training support, skills development, and accessing community networks.
Under proposals to be considered by the council's ruling cabinet on Wednesday, the shop will be up and running before Christmas in the building previously known as the Barnsley North Learning and Development Unit in Athersley North.
Leader of Barnsley Council Sir Steve Houghton said: "We already have a community shop in the Dearne which has been hugely successful in getting the poorest in our communities access to low cost food as well as the services they otherwise would not get."
• Full story in the Barnsley Chronicle issue dated October 2, 2015.
