King's Lynn community shop 'running on critical'

Those who know Fairstead Community Shop well compare it to Dr Who's time-travelling police box, the TARDIS

A community shop that provides a lifeline to people on a housing estate is under threat of closure due to pressures from the cost of living.

The venture at Fairstead in King's Lynn, Norfolk, sells clothes, toys and bric-a-brac and offers a food bank and baby box service.

Volunteer Emma Brock, who runs the shop full-time, said demand was rising but soaring costs meant it could not always help when required.

"We are running on critical," she said.

"Anything that we get [from the shop] is just going on bills at the moment.

"Gas, electricity and our insurance have sky-rocketed - and that's what people tend to forget, we have all of that to think about too, like any business.

"Because prices have gone up for everyone, people aren't donating as much as they used to, so we are having to top-up everything."

Emma Brock said the shop could not afford to fund family trips this year

Ms Brock said the past 18 months had seen it struggle with its finances as it tried to help those coping with their own crises, from across King's Lynn and as far afield as Downham Market.

Many shop customers "spend the only 99p they have in the world" or pick up a pair of school trousers for 50p, or shoes for their children.

"We have been doing a lot more work with our food bank, and with our baby boxes for mums who can't afford things," added Ms Brock.

"But we can't always give what people need because we haven't got it."

Ms Brock said it was particularly heartbreaking to have to scrap its family trips to visitor attractions, with admission and travel paid for by the shop.

"We'd usually spend £1,000 but we just haven't got the money this year," she added.

"It has left a lot of people really upset, they've said it was the one thing they had to look forward to."

Despite its struggles, which Ms Brock said had taken a toll on her health, the shop is desperate to offer more help.

"We really need volunteers to take the pressure off during the week and so we can open an extra day, on a Saturday," she added.

"We are trying the best we can, but the situation is awful."