Chatham Community Supermarket Opens Offering Affordable Food and Support
New facility in The Pentagon Shopping Centre provides low-cost groceries and access to vital council and partner services for all Medway residents.
By Natalie Osborne
••3 min read
AI
Community supermarket opening ceremony in Chatham, Kent.
A new community supermarket, the Chatham SEK Community Food Shop, has opened in Chatham, offering affordable groceries and a range of support services to all Medway residents.
Residents of Medway can now access affordable groceries and receive advice and support at the newly opened Chatham SEK Community Food Shop. Located on the first floor of The Pentagon Shopping Centre, the supermarket officially launched on Monday, 5 October.
The shop is open to everyone in Medway, requiring no referral or membership. It offers high-quality food at accessible prices, including bags of fruit and vegetables for £1. The initiative also aims to reduce waste by redistributing surplus food.
A dedicated community space within the shop will provide residents with access to advice and support from council, community, and partner services. Assistance will be available for budgeting, energy costs, financial matters, and connections to further support networks.
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"We are incredibly happy to see the new community supermarket open its doors in the heart of Chatham. Household budgets continue to remain under pressure, and this is something that can help make a real difference to people’s lives, with families able to access healthy and affordable food alongside wider wraparound support all in one place."
Cllr Vince Maple, Leader of Medway Council, highlighted the collaboration involved, stating, “This has been a brilliant collaboration between the council, Social Enterprise Kent and volunteers who have helped get the space ready – another example of the true One Medway spirit.”
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"This is an important step towards tackling food insecurity in Medway as part our prevention agenda – giving people the chance to buy healthy and nutritious food at an affordable price whilst utilising surplus food that may otherwise go to waste. Importantly, this will be a space where residents can build resilience by accessing a wealth of support services too – and it is open to absolutely everyone without the need for a referral or membership."
Cllr Teresa Murray, Deputy Leader of Medway Council, emphasised the role of the supermarket in combating food insecurity and building resilience. A plaque was also unveiled dedicated to the late Director of Public Health, James Williams, who was committed to tackling health inequalities.
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"We are incredibly proud to open the Community Food Shop in Chatham and to be able to offer local people good food at fair prices in a space that feels welcoming, positive, and respectful. For us, this is about choice and dignity. Everyone should be able to access affordable food."
Rebecca Smith, CEO of Social Enterprise Kent, expressed pride in the opening, stating, “We also want the shop to be somewhere people can find additional support, opportunities and connection when they need it. We’re really excited to open the doors and welcome the community in.”
The shop is operated by Social Enterprise Kent through its SEK Community Food Shop programme, with initial funding from Medway Council's Crisis and Resilience Fund.
Based on information from the official source: Medway Council (05/10/2026)
