Charity serves up 1.8 million meals since start of pandemic

A charity has delivered more than 1.8 million meals during the pandemic to tackle food poverty in the north east of Scotland.

Operated by Community Food Initiatives North East (CFINE), FareShare Scotland fights hunger and food waste in the UK.

CFINE operates the scheme in seven local authorities including Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Moray, Highlands, Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland.

From the end of March to the end of September, it delivered 784 tonnes of food to vulnerable people in the area.

The monthly uptake of food has risen by 278% in the past six months compared to 2019 due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

The charity recently appointed a North of Scotland development worker, who will assist with further expanding CFINE’s network of partners across the Highlands, Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland.

Graeme Robbie, FareShare manager at CFINE, said: “We are delighted to welcome the North of Scotland development worker on our team, who will help us reach more food-insecure families across the Highlands and Islands through our network of partners.

“Coronavirus has had a significant impact on people’s lives; thousands of individuals and families found themselves in a position where they can’t afford adequate food.

“Thanks to the food purchased with funding from the Scottish Government and donated by supermarkets, we were able to distribute over 1.8 million meals to people in need across the North of Scotland.

“We would also like to thank Aberdeen City Council for the additional 1000 sq m warehouse space, which allowed CFINE to respond dynamically and effectively to the increasing need.”