The study reveals that the stores help reduce loneliness and promote social cohesion “to the point that new communities are visibly created on most sites”.

In addition to food, Top Up Shops have been able to refer people to other support services, with traveling nurses identifying “serious health concerns” in some customers.

The report added: “Without raising any criticism of the local authority, it was felt that, along with other similar services in Ipswich and elsewhere, Top Up Shops were providing a service which clearly filled a gap in the public sector offering while self-financing. to do it. »

Dr Mark Manning, on behalf of the research team, said: “It is clear that Top Up stores are considered highly effective in supporting those in need within their communities and can be seen as examples for the way they do it. »

Rev Lawrence Carey, who helped set up the service, said: “Top Up Shops are not just about food, they are about dignity and action. »

The researchers added that insights from the study could strengthen the long-term sustainability of Top Up Shops.

He added that the service met three of the four priorities outlined in Suffolk County Council tackles poverty in Suffolk, external which was released in 2022, such as emergency assistance, poverty impact mitigation and poverty prevention.