A north-east community larder has been given two new fridges to allow it to expand its services.
Julia Morton transformed her yoga studio in Stonehaven to stockpile food for vulnerable families when lockdown began.
Since the space was there and being unused, she decided to repurpose it to benefit locals.
Now, the larder has been able to branch out and start to offer fresh food after the Archie Foundation donated two chillers from Cafe Tempo, thanks to help from local foodie Claire Jessiman.
Mrs Morton said: “Sometimes with food poverty, people wait until the lack of food becomes a desperate issue. We want to reach people before that.
“A lot of people don’t think food poverty exists in Stonehaven – but that’s not the case at all and a myth we need to dispel. Because if we do, people will feel more comfortable seeking help.
“The best way you can support a community larder is to use it. Even if you believe you do not need to. By going to our community larder you are giving permission for other people to use it.”
Mrs Morton is also encouraging carers who may already be doing weekly shops for vulnerable people to access the community larder.
Social care staff asked for some help with their wellbeing packs for clients and one of our Haven Helpers organised some teddies for them. We think they really cheered the packs up!#teddies #socialcare #volunteers pic.twitter.com/v1U2sHryvV
— TheHaven (@havenstonehaven) July 15, 2020
People can also come and swap ingredients from their own cupboards with items in the larder and, in conjunction with Cfine, free sanitary products are on offer.
To find out more visit www.thehaven.co.uk/community-larder or to make a donation via PayPal search for the e-mail havenstonehaven@gmail.com
The food bank’s opening hours are 10am-noon Monday and Tuesday, 2pm-4pm on Thursday and 5pm-7pm on Fridays.
