VISITORS to a community cafe and supermarket in Birkenhead can now get advice on matters such as employment, benefits and domestic abuse.

Involve Northwest, a non-profit organisation is working with Number 7 café and citizens' supermarket at Pyramids Shopping Centre in Birkenhead to help improve quality of life for local residents.

Tomorrow (Friday, March 22) Ed Beardsley, a caseworker from Birkenhead MP Frank Field's office, will offer free, expert advice on benefits, housing and council tax issues during a session at the venue from midday until 3.30pm.

The half-hour sessions are by appointment only and can be arranged by contacting Ed on 0800 028 0293.

Every Wednesday and Thursday afternoon, from 1pm to 3.30pm, visitors are able to drop in to the café or telephone for advice on matters concerning employment, welfare and benefits advice and domestic abuse.

The team at Number 7 can help with benefit applications and provides immediate support as needed to prevent payment delays.

The community café and supermarket was officially opened in January by Their Royal Highnesses, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

Since then, the surgeries have been attended by dozens of people.

Kay Penkethman, manager at Number 7, said: "We hope that people will also take advantage of our support services to help increase their incomes.

"This has proven to be such a vital part of our service and every day we are supporting people with a whole host of issues, from benefit advice to form completion, from making calls on their behalf to signposting to other support services.

"We are a friendly team and sometimes a chat over a cuppa is what is needed. The advice surgeries run by Frank's team are working particularly well.

"I have truly been blessed to have been given the opportunity to manage Number 7 - I simply love what we do and the people that I meet through our work."

Derek Millar, commercial director at Pyramids Shopping Centre, said: "The purpose of Number 7 is to make sure local individuals and families in difficult circumstances do not feel any more isolated than I'm sure they already do, or that they have nowhere to turn.

"We want the café and supermarket to be the start of a resolution for community members who face the real possibility of hunger.

"But beyond making sure people have enough food to eat, the staff at Number 7 are doing all they can to also alleviate the pressures and worries a modern lifestyle brings.

"We want the people of Birkenhead to know that we're right behind them as they build a new path to better days."

Frank Field MP, who worked with Derek and other stakeholders on the project for three years ahead of its doors opening, said: "The citizens' supermarket at Number 7 is already providing much needed financial relief, by saving its first group of members a collective total of more than £1,000 a week on their food shopping.

"With these advice surgeries, we are moving Number 7 into the next stage of countering poverty in Birkenhead by attempting to deal with the root causes of this injustice."

Number 7 is stocked with good quality, affordable food sourced from surplus and also receives donations from local and national organisations.

Membership of the citizens' supermarket is based on low household income and stems from referrals from members of the Feeding Birkenhead, Supporting Wirral network, such as housing and healthcare organisations, although self-referrals can be made by popping into Number 7.

Membership is for six months initially, with the option to extend if further support is needed. Access to the café and community support services are available to all.