A new food pantry has opened in Jamestown aiming to bring the community together to battle the cost of living crisis.
Lomond Community Food Pantry officially opened its doors last Thursday (October 17) in the old Boys’ Brigade hall behind the Lennox Hall.
Membership is free and anyone living in the area can become a member to access a weekly provision of 10 food or household items for just £3.
A warm welcome is also on offer, with the space set to be used as a warm hub – allowing people to gather and avoid soaring energy costs at home.
The project originated from discussion between Lomond Parish Church Mission and Outreach team and Lomond ward councillor Hazel Sorrell on the amount of food poverty in the north of the Vale.
Councillor Sorrell, who is also chair of the Haldane Tenants and Residents Association told the Lennox: “It’s very much a community-led project. I’m all about the community and most of the community groups in my area have got money from the Cost of Living Fund, which is extremely important to me.
“We gave Mary Sweetland (from the church) the links to the Labour-led Cost of Living fund. And through that they were awarded money to set up the pantry and get the work done, as well as £12,000 to sustain it for the next few years.
“Working4U got us community projects to start up the pantry with the slabbing and work that needed done outside.
“It’s been amazing the way everyone has pulled together.
“I stay in Haldane and it’s an area of high deprivation. Anything that can help people with poverty and food poverty is really needed.
“West Dunbartonshire Council is a struggling council. And it has helped.
“Lomond Parish Church has been fantastic as well, giving us the building. We will do the best job we can do with it.
“It looks fantastic and it’s going to be somewhere that’s really needed to help people who are struggling.
“We have got a great team here who are community-led. They are amazing people who want to do what they can to help and improve our area.
“I love this community. And people struggling have shown the strength we have, with people coming together saying that they can make things that bit better.”
Christina Lynas, a member of Lomond Parish Church Mission and Outreach Team said: “We were aware that there was food poverty in our parish, and having seen the success of the food pantry at Dalmuir-Barclay Parish Church,we set about converting the empty BB hall to reach out to those in need in the north Vale of Leven area.
“A pantry differs from a foodbank in that you don’t need to be referred. Anyone living in the G83 postcode area can register and receive 10 items from stock each week for £3.
“We will sustain the pantry through community donations, fundraising and grants.”
Councillor Sorrell meanwhile has high hopes for the future of the scheme.
She continued: “The Church will provide the building and is contributing £3,350 of start-up stock.
“We have also got £3,000 a year for four years from the cost of living revenue fund which will support the purchase of food for the food pantry.
“This helps support our ambitions that the food pantry is sustainable and will support our communities for years to come.
“We intend to continue to provide the service for as long as there remains a need in the community with people impacted by food poverty and especially now for those affected by the cost of living crisis.
“Our longer term plans are to establish a new charity for the running of the pantry involving members of the local community as well as representatives from local churches, and work in collaboration with local food banks and foodstores.
“We are in the process of establishing a separate charity to run the pantry and the building as a constituted organisation drawing on membership of community groups, such as Haldane TRA, CATRA, Women’s Aid and local churches.
“The intention in the long term would be for the charity to take over responsibility for the building with a peppercorn asset transfer from the church. Letters of support are available from local councillors, Balloch and Haldane and Alexandria Community Council.
“Gaining charitable status will ensure that we have appropriate governance arrangements in place.
“We also anticipate that volunteers would staff the facility, which could also be a warm space for people to meet during the day, or hold meetings.”
Initially the Pantry will be open on Thursdays from 4pm-8pm and Fridays 10am to 4pm.