An Aberdeenshire foodbank will be able to help more families in need thanks to a £1,000 donation.
Aberdeenshire North Foodbank has received the cash from Cala Homes Bursary to support the roll-out of a new cookery skills initiative.
The foodbank, run by the Trussell Trust, will provide local families with food, equipment and the necessary skills to help them prepare healthy meals.
Cala’s donation will be used to buy extra slow cookers which will be given to families.
Stephen Balfour, development worker at Aberdeenshire North Foodbank, said: “Due to the pandemic, there has been a huge increase in the number of people depending on our foodbanks in the past year.
“This increase in demand meant we needed to think of a more sustainable approach towards supporting those who need our help. Through the cookery skills scheme, we hope we can provide families with the abilities and practical tools to prepare stress-free and delicious meals in a cost effective and simple way.
“Thanks to the kind donation from Cala Homes and its community bursary grant, we have been able to provide even more families across the region with this support.”
Cookery skills initiative
The scheme is being rolled-out across the region, and will provide low-income families with all the help they need to make healthy meals, providing not just the food and slow cookers but also a booklet of budget recipes and tips, information on food growing opportunities and additional resources.
An online series of cooking demonstrations has also been launched.
The £1,000 donation was made as part of the Cala Homes (North) £10,000 Community Bursary, which has helped seven groups, charities, and organisations this year.
Managing director Mike Naysmith said: “Our community bursary was established with the aim of helping some fantastic groups and charities that really benefit the local community and Aberdeenshire North Foodbank is a great example of this.
“We hope that this donation will play an important part in helping to feed families across the region and building a healthy ethos to food and cooking.”
This festive period, the Press and Journal, Evening Express and Original 106 are working to shine a light on the work of foodbanks through the Big Christmas Food Appeal.
We’re highlighting just how badly food poverty impacts the region, debunking myths and asking readers to support Cfine by either making a financial donation or buying an item from their special shopping list.