Launch of Good Food Market for Filwood
A community enterprise which aims to bring ‘nutritious and affordable food’ to Filwood was launched at an event on Filwood Broadway last month.
The Good Food Market will be run from the former greengrocers at 25 Filwood Broadway – where the Matthew Tree Project has signed an initial three-year lease with Places for People for the shop unit.
At an Eat and Greet food event on on Filwood Broadway today (16 April), local people were treated to an interactive pop up shop – complete with canned music – which was run by Knowle West Media Centre.
Passers by could take part in fun surveys using a model of a fridge, which was finding out if people shopped locally and what their priorities were when buying food.
There was produce for sale outside, food tasting and family fun on the Filwood Playwark.
The project is looking for local people to get involved to decide what the shop will look like, what it will sell and how it will support the community.
Chief Executive of the Matthew Tree Project, Mark Goodway said the shop would help to bring more people to Filwood Broadway – and be “working towards the vision” of having a supermarket there.
He said: “What we need to know from local people is what things need to be here as well as selling healthy fresh food.
“… We have done a lot of surveys asking people what they want and think …We hope to get enough information so that when we get the supermarket, we have a strong case to get the investment….”
He said they would be recruiting someone to work on the project with a team of local volunteers.
Resident Linda Pickford (54) said the area really needed a supermarket especially for some of the older people who found it hard to get out.
She said: “ I remember all the shops here and how it used to be…I reckon it will be good having this shop here, that’s why a lot of people don’t use Filwood because there aren’t the shops…”
Mike Deane who is Chair of Bristol South Diabetes Support Group also came to the launch.
He said: “I think it’s an absolutely brilliant idea because with diabetes you need support with healthy food…”
Anyone who would like to get involved in the Good Food Market should ring 0117 966 8071.
