New Devon Charity Shop Offers 'Food With Dignity' to Those Struggling With Food Poverty
A new kind of food charity has opened its doors in Okehampton, Devon, offering something that traditional food banks often cannot: the dignity of choice. The Affordable Food Shop, founded by Rebecca Green, allows customers to select their own items using credit vouchers rather than receiving pre-packed parcels — a small but profound difference that its founder believes can transform the experience of seeking help with food costs.Background
Food banks have become a fixture of British community life over the past decade, with the Trussell Trust network alone distributing millions of food parcels annually. They provide an essential service, but they have also been the subject of ongoing debate about the experience they offer to those who use them. The pre-packed parcel model — in which volunteers assemble a standard box of food items for each recipient — is efficient and cost-effective, but it removes the element of choice that most people take for granted when shopping for food.
The loss of that choice is not a trivial matter. Research on food poverty consistently finds that the stigma associated with using food banks is one of the most significant barriers to people seeking help when they need it. Many people in genuine food poverty delay or avoid using food banks because of the shame they associate with accepting charity, particularly in the form of a pre-packed parcel that signals their inability to provide for themselves. Addressing that stigma — while still providing practical support — is one of the most important challenges in tackling food poverty effectively.
Okehampton is a market town in mid-Devon with a population of around 6,000. Like many rural communities in England, it has seen significant increases in food insecurity over the past few years, driven by rising food prices, energy costs, and the erosion of real wages. The town has existing food bank provision, but Rebecca Green identified a gap in the market for a service that combined practical support with a more dignified experience.
Key Developments
The Affordable Food Shop opened on 21 April in Okehampton, offering customers the ability to select items using credit vouchers rather than receiving pre-packed parcels. The shop sells fresh and tinned food, along with household goods, at low prices. All money raised is reinvested into supporting those who are unable to afford food — the shop operates as a charity, not a commercial enterprise, and any surplus is directed back into the community.
Rebecca Green, the shop's founder, described her vision as "food with dignity" — the idea that people who need help with food costs should be able to exercise the same choices as anyone else shopping for their family. "When you walk into a supermarket, you choose what you want to eat. That choice matters — it's part of your identity and your autonomy. We want to give that back to people who are struggling," she said.
The shop's model draws on similar initiatives that have been developed in other parts of the UK and Ireland, including community supermarkets and social supermarkets that offer reduced-price food to members who are experiencing financial difficulty. The key innovation in Okehampton is the credit voucher system, which allows customers to access the shop's stock without the transaction feeling like charity — they are, in effect, shopping with a voucher rather than receiving a handout.
Why It Matters
The Affordable Food Shop matters because it addresses the dignity dimension of food poverty in a practical and replicable way. The model is not expensive to establish — it requires a retail space, a supply of donated or discounted food, and a volunteer workforce — and it can be adapted to different community contexts. If the Okehampton model proves successful, it could provide a template for similar initiatives in other towns and cities across the UK and Ireland.
The timing is significant. Food insecurity is growing across the UK, driven by the combination of high food prices, energy costs, and the erosion of real wages. The government's welfare reforms are changing the support available to people in financial difficulty, and community organisations are increasingly being asked to fill gaps that statutory services cannot cover. Initiatives like The Affordable Food Shop represent the kind of community-led response that can make a real difference to individual lives while the broader policy environment is addressed.
Local Impact
For residents of Okehampton and the surrounding area who are struggling with food costs, The Affordable Food Shop offers a practical and dignified source of support. The shop's location in the town centre makes it accessible to those who need it, and the voucher system removes the stigma that can deter people from seeking help. For the wider Devon community, the shop represents an example of local initiative and community solidarity that has resonated strongly. Rebecca Green has already received enquiries from people in other towns who are interested in replicating the model, suggesting that the Okehampton shop could be the first of many.
What's Next
The Affordable Food Shop is in its early weeks of operation and is still building its supply network and volunteer base. Rebecca Green is working with local food businesses, supermarkets, and wholesalers to establish a reliable supply of food at prices that allow the shop to operate sustainably. She is also in discussions with local councils and community organisations about potential funding and partnership arrangements. The shop's progress will be monitored closely by food poverty campaigners and community organisations across the UK who are interested in the model's potential for replication.
Sources: BBC News — Affordable Food Shop, Okehampton; Smiley Movement — Good Guide April 2026
