A new type of food bank designed to give those in need “a hand up instead of a hand out” welcomed its very first shoppers in Aberdeen yesterday.
The Woodside Pantry project is the first of its kind in Scotland, selling discounted products to residents struggling financially.
Instead of relying on pre-made food parcels, members of the scheme pay a £3 joining fee, and then £2.50 a week for 10 items they can select themselves.
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Managers of the pantry, which is based at the Woodside Fountain Centre on Marquis Road, arrived yesterday morning to find a queue of people eager to try out the one-day trial of the scheme.
And it was such a success that the Woodside Pantry team is now preparing to officially launch the operation in the new year.
Claire Whyte, community worker at the project, said: “Everybody that’s been in has just been delighted, they’ve given really positive feedback and everyone in the local community seems to be talking about it.
“The £2.50 fee is more to give a level of equality and take away some of the stigma that surround food bank projects – the intention is for it to be more of a hand up instead of a hand out.
“We want everybody to be equal – we’re not asking too many questions, and we’re not checking benefits – but we make sure that we’re filtering out the people that are most in need.
“You come in with your £2.50, and you can pick any of 10 items, so it feels much more like a shopping experience.
“Picking out what you want is our key difference when compared to traditional food banks, where you’re often just given what you can get, and it can often not be to your tastes or dietary requirements.
“On our trial today, 10 items came out to be worth on average £30 to £40, so it can really help make a difference to people that need it.”
Following the yesterday’s test of the concept, the Woodside Pantry team will now assess how they want to move forward, before reopening on February 12, with an initial membership of 30 people.
If the project is successful, Ms Whyte said she hopes to expand it further in 2019.
The scheme will be operated by Fersands and Fountain Community Project in partnership with Cfine and FareShare.