A 'pay what you can' shop has opened at a school in Pontypool to help with the rising cost of living.
Cwm-Unity Cwtch shop is run by the children at Cwmffrwdoer Primary School and is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8.30am to 9.30am and 2.30pm to 4pm.
The shipping container turned shop contains items at no set prices – customers are encouraged to pay what they can afford.
The children outside their pay as you can shop picture: Kris Wharton
The shop also supports food sustainability by teaching the children about natural foods and growing their own produce.
Deputy head teacher Kris Wharton said: “The aim is to make sure that in our local community no child goes hungry, that every child knows how to make good food choices called the Big Bocs Bwyd.
“We are really trying to go down the food sustainability route – as soon as you mention the word poverty – the community disengage as there’s a sense of pride.
“We’ve never mentioned the word poverty to them – we ensure teachers are seen using it, the shop is for everyone and not just for those on low income.
“As a society I think we sometimes forget where food comes from, this takes children on a journey with lots of different experiences.
“We feel a lot of the time children come into school with bad food choices in their lunch box and I want to change that.
“With this they’re surrounded by natural foods, they’re growing different foods and herbs and we also have chickens here.”
Growing their own produce picture: Kris Wharton
Mr Wharton hopes that the children will become food literate by growing, cooking and learning about food.
In September the shop opened in the school’s car park and all children from nursery to year six are involved with the project.
The children who designed the logo and came up with the name have been out to local businesses to drum up local support.
Mr Wharton said: “The children took the lead on this; we want this to be integrated into our school.
“The shop features food that is no longer on the shelves in the supermarket – it’s painful the amount of food that gets wasted.
Inside the shipping container turned shop picture: Kris Wharton
“We have things from Marks and Spencer, Coop, Tesco and we also have hygiene products.
“Wales have a new curriculum that has four purposes – healthy and confident individuals, ambitious and capable learners, ethically informed citizens and enterprise and creative contributors – those four purposes are hit by this project.
“I feel a sense of pride, it’s nice to see the community come together and taking home good quality food.”
Currently, the school also provides teas and coffees for the community and aim to open a coffee shop to provide a social space for people to go to.
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