Hope for harvest boon
Oban Lions appeal for gardeners to donate fresh produce
The arrival of sunny weather can bring tasty early pickings, from soft fruit to salad, and it won’t be long before gardeners are adding root vegetables and brassicas to their crops.
Many of those who garden for pleasure find that they have more than their family and friends can consume, and it is these extras – which might otherwise end on the compost heap – that Lions are requesting be donated to New Hope.
The organisation, which recently moved to new premises on Soroba Road, runs a lunch-time soup kitchen every weekday, and serves dinners on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights.
Its drop-in centre offers friendship and support to people facing challenges from loneliness, to homelessness, mental illness and addiction, and hosts community classes and social events.
‘We welcome donations of all sorts of food and we would be especially keen to receive freshly grown vegetables and fruit,’ explained Lorraine MacCormick, service manager.
‘We always have a pot of soup on the go, and usually it’s a vegan soup that everyone can enjoy. But we find we often have to buy vegetables and it would be wonderful to be able to use more fresh, local ingredients.
‘Donations would also help to stock our foodbank, ensuring that there is a healthy balance of food within the parcels that we give out.’
Oban Lions are supporting New Hope as part of a Lions International campaign to eliminate hunger, starting with local communities and working towards a goal of serving 200 million people around the world every year by 2021.
‘For once we are not asking you to dig into your pocket for a donation,’ said Jim Edge, Lions publicity officer. ‘We would like you to dig into your garden and make a donation from there instead.
‘If you grow vegetables, fruit, salad or soft fruit, we would be very happy if you could donate it to New Hope, which will be able to do wonderful things with it, making a big difference to people in need in our community. Donations don’t have to cost the earth, in this case the earth will provide your donation.’
To make a home-grown donation, call in at New Hope, 2 Soroba Road (opposite the junction with Glencruitten Road), at any time during opening hours, or get in touch with Hope Kitchen on Facebook. Contributions of tinned and dried foods are also appreciated.