Funding boost and volunteers keep the Food Train running
Support for lifeline service to help the elderly
A Renfrews h i re organisation that delivers food to vulnerable people in the community has boosted its vital service thanks to extra funding and help from volunteers.
Food Train has increased its weekly deliveries of food and grocery supplies to frail, disabled and vulnerable older people in self isolation during the coronavirus outbreak.
The charity has been able to do this with the help of SP Energy Networks and hundreds of extra volunteers from across the local authority.
Thanks to funding of more than £ 450,000 from SP Energy Networks’ Green Economy Fund for nine new state- of- the- art electric vehicles, Food Train has been able to expand to new regions at a time when it is particularly difficult for older vulnerable people to access shopping services.
With older people across Renfrewshire going into lockdown for many weeks, the charity has an unprecedented number of elderly people asking for help or being referred for food deliveries.
The Scottish Government has now defined its volunteers as key workers providing an essential service, allowing Food Train to recruit hundreds of new volunteers across Scotland to help thousands of older people.
Food Train is extending its support to other local authority areas via its Food Train Connects service.
The new service, which matches older people requiring a helping hand with a volunteer living nearby and willing to provide regular support, is now available and requires the support of even more volunteers across Renfrewshire.
Michelle Carruthers, chief executive of Food Train, said: “We’ve been overwhelmed by the generosity of our volunteers and supporters across Renfrewshire who have stepped up to protect the most vulnerable people in our communities throughout this crisis.
“We’re delighted to have the support from SP Energy Networks to expand and sustain our services and are pleased we are able to make available our new Food Train Connects service.
“Any help you can give to help us continue responding effectively would be hugely appreciated.
“Donations can be made at justgiving. com/ campaign/FoodTrain”
Frank Mitchell, CEO at SP Energy Networks, added: “People across Renfrewshire are doing extraordinary things to help the most vulnerable in their community during the coronavirus outbreak.
“We’re proud to support Food Train and will be continuing to do what we can to assist the outstanding work of its volunteers across Scotland.”
Further information on Food Train services and how to sign up as a volunteer is available at www. thefoodtrain. co. uk and by emailing shopping@ thefoodtrain.co.uk
We’ve been overwhelmed by the generosity of our volunteers and supporters