An Aberdeen community centre is serving up hot breakfasts and warming meals to make sure no one goes hungry – or faces the “embarrassment of having to ask”.
Sharon Forsyth always wanted to open a community cafe.
Now, working from the Cairncry Community Centre she feeds around 50 to 60 people every week and is hoping to help even more.
The cafe started up in February, offering locals free soup on a Friday.
In response to the cost-of-living crisis, the centre decided to start opening the doors of the cafe more during the week and offering more meals.
Since October, they have started serving free breakfasts every Monday, Tuesday and Friday, with residents able to access the centre’s foodbank if needed.
‘It’s important for people to know we’re here’
Ms Forsyth and the team also provide lunch on Mondays and Tuesdays as well as continuing to give free soup on Fridays.
She said: “We decided to open up more because its colder and people were needing it more.
“I think food is important to everyone, it’s one of your basic needs and some people can’t afford to eat and that’s why I set up this cafe.
“It’s important for people to know it’s here and know they can come and get a meal if they need it without the embarrassment of having to ask for it – it’s here anyway.”
She added: “I feel privileged to be here, to do this, and to feed people. I’m just hoping over the next few months we get busier.”
Any leftovers are frozen so they can be used in the foodbank, and given to anyone who needs the meal to heat up at home, meaning nothing is wasted.
While the community cafe receives funding, the foodbank is supported by Cfine – our charity partner for The Big Christmas Food Appeal.
Every Thursday, Cfine do a Fareshare delivery and the centre posts whatever they have received on their social media pages so people can come down and help themselves.
‘It’s company as well’
As well as keeping people fed, the centre also tackles social isolation through the breakfast club and other initiatives it runs.
Brenda Roy has been visiting the centre for years and enjoys meeting new people.
The grandmother said: “I like coming up here, you get to meet different people, and we get our breakfast and that – and it helps with the price of living and everything just now.
“It’s good just to get out, because I’m on my own, and there’s plenty to do here.
“We all help each other, we’re like a big family.”
Meanwhile, Patricia Rennie started going to the mother-toddler groups when her youngest was six months old.
More than 10 years later she is still visiting the community centre, and has found it has helped after a struggle with her mental health.
She said: “Gradually since the breakfast club started I’ve started coming back.
“I used to isolate myself at home and not really go out, but I’m starting to get out by coming here and meeting everyone again.”
Lorraine Milne enjoys going to the centre for breakfast with a friend. She said: “I work Monday to Friday every night as a cleaner. It’s good to come here, it’s company when you’re home alone.”
‘It’s really hard to see people struggle’
Centre manager Lori Wilson said the team is working hard to meet people’s physical needs as well as their social needs.
She said: “If people are popping in we will try and feed them, even if you’re just having a cuppa and a bacon roll that’s one less thing for you to worry about at home.
“The cafe has been a really good way to get people into the warm space and it’s made it easier to welcome people in because who doesn’t like free food?”
Miss Wilson believes the role of community centres has changed from a place to go and have fun, to a place people go to get warm and have something hot to eat.
She admitted: “It’s really hard to see people struggle but I’m really glad we’re able to offer this opportunity, and I hope this is the start of things getting better.
“People are thinking about heating versus eating and sometimes being able to do neither, and it’s nice we can offer this.
“I would encourage people to get involved in their local community centre no matter what area they’re in there are good things happening across Aberdeen.
“It’s a good way to get involved, meet other people and volunteer your time and make a real tangible change that really matters to people.”
Big Christmas Food Appeal
The Press and Journal has partnered with Cfine, which supports many other foodbanks and organisations across the north and north-east, for our Big Christmas Food Appeal.
Alongside the Evening Express, Energy Voice and Original 109 we are working to alleviate food poverty and ease the pressure on struggling families this winter.
We are also focusing on showing those in our communities where to get help and debunking some of the myths around food poverty.
Donations can be made via our JustGiving page or the special Amazon shopping list Cfine built for the appeal.
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