Bisi Osundeko, a co-director of a Go Local store in Merseyside, has put herself forward to become the first female MP in her constituency.
The retailer has been a councillor for Parr in St Helens for five years and hopes to become a Labour representative for St Helens North.
Bisi and her husband, Mayo Osundeko, took over a Go Local store in December 2021 alongside running their online digital baby brand Joe and Joy Baby.
Bisi told Convenience Store that taking ownership of the store has prepared her to address issues important to her local community.
“When you start running a convenient shop it’s very public facing because people are there not just for the grocery,” she said. “We have seen the first-hand impact of the cost-of-living crisis on people. It’s not just what my staff tell me, it’s what I see as well. People are really, really struggling.”
She explained that the store has become a beacon of hope for customers facing hardship as well as a refuge for those experiencing domestic abuse.
“I have a rather lot to offer, not just my business experience,” she said. “Witnessing first-hand the impact of the cost-of-living crisis and people are coming to our shop. It’s not just because of covid, people are struggling with their mental health and people are having to choose between eating and heating their homes. We have seen a rise in shoplifting and there have been times when people come into the store and tell us that they’re struggling to feed themselves.”
The move would not only make history as the first female MP in St Helens North but also as the first representative from an ethnic minority background. Bisi said: “We really do need to have more representation.”
Bisi found her decision to run for MP was made easier by the support of her team at Go Local.
“I want our local store to thrive with or without myself or my partner and that is exactly where we are,” she said. “We have successful planning where all our staff understand what to do, how to order groceries, everything. So, this is the reason why I am very confident that my store is going to be able to survive and grow and even do way better without me,”
“My partner is also very hard working as well, he helps to oversee and our staff are very experienced with lots of years experience of retail.”
In an effort to give back to the community, Bisi explained that the team at the Go Local store consists of people from the area.
Bisi said: “It also ties into empowering local people, especially women. Most of our staff are women and when you empower one woman you actually empower more. This is something I am very passionate about.”
No comments yet