I was amazed at a visit to a community pantry set up by a group of volunteers to provide food for families and individuals who are struggling in the Dunfermline area. The hard-work and dedication of the project, based in the Tryst Centre, deserves to be recognised and thanked.
The project has provided over 4500 bags of food since the beginning of lockdown with demand increasing every week. Project coordinator Nyree Keith explained that they started with the primary aim of reducing the amount of food being sent to landfill by working with stores to support people in need. Since the outbreak of Covid the project has adapted to meet the growing challenge of food poverty and is now part of the Fife Council food resilience team.
The amount of time given over by volunteers to support others is just amazing and whilst it is sad that lack of food is even an issue in a modern economy the fact is people are struggling whether in work or not.
I thanked all the people I met and this project demonstrates all that is good about ordinary people doing extraordinary things in difficult times to help each other.
The project covers Abbeyview, Duloch, Halbeath, Touch and Brucefield and anyone from these areas in need of support with food should call on a Wednesday between 10am and 1pm and will be given a slot for the pick up on the Thursday. The number to call is 07730809375.
