Church hands out 100,000 meals to help tackle hunger in lockdown

POLLOK Baptist Church has handed out more than 100,000 meals to locals since the beginning of lockdown.

The church, located on Haughburn Road, has provided families and individuals with food over a 16- week period, delivering the service weekly during the height of lockdown.

Reverend Dave Murray said: “We identified food poverty in our community long before Covid, we were happy to serve and are happy to keep on serving but we know this isn’t a long- term solution.

“We also need a sensible educational programme that allows kids, adults and families to learn how to cook in an affordable way that is also nutritious and helps strengthen social skills, cooking skills and allows families to be together.”

The church will also help to develop cooking and social skills at a later date, with the launch of the Cook0 School.

Reverend Murray said: “When the time is right and the public health restrictions are lifted, we will be opening our Cook0 School to help pass on these skills.

“We hope to create a cooking experience that allows others to cook together, eat together and share life experiences.”

Local councillor David McDonald praised the church, saying: “The Baptist Church have been supporting Pollok for a number of years thanks to their community cafe and recently launched cook school but their support for the community really stepped up during lockdown.

“I have seen first- hand the positive impact their deliveries made feeding hundreds of people every week.

“I want to thank everyone from the church and all of the community volunteers, their care for our community was inspiring.”