Bonnybridge food bank gets £8000 funding boost to buy delivery van

A Bonnybridge-based organisation which has provided the vulnerable with a wealth of support throughout the pandemic has received a timely funding boost.
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ROOTS Helping Hands Food Share was awarded £8000 to buy a van to bolster its food parcel delivery service.

The windfall came courtesy of Denny and District Community Council and was administered by Foundation Scotland, which exists to “help organisations to fund good causes”.

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Originally launched as a group for parents of children with additional support needs, volunteers have supported residents of Bonnybridge, Banknock, Camelon and Denny since the group formed in 2018.

ROOTS Helping Hands Food Share volunteers received funding to buy a new van to help with their deliveries. Front: Jennifer Cochrane, secretary; Teresa Cochrane, treasurer; and Gemma Douglas, parcel coordinator. Back: Arlene Graham, chairwoman; Sheralee Maxwell, parcel coordinator; and Scott Douglas, handyman driver. Picture: Michael Gillen.ROOTS Helping Hands Food Share volunteers received funding to buy a new van to help with their deliveries. Front: Jennifer Cochrane, secretary; Teresa Cochrane, treasurer; and Gemma Douglas, parcel coordinator. Back: Arlene Graham, chairwoman; Sheralee Maxwell, parcel coordinator; and Scott Douglas, handyman driver. Picture: Michael Gillen.
ROOTS Helping Hands Food Share volunteers received funding to buy a new van to help with their deliveries. Front: Jennifer Cochrane, secretary; Teresa Cochrane, treasurer; and Gemma Douglas, parcel coordinator. Back: Arlene Graham, chairwoman; Sheralee Maxwell, parcel coordinator; and Scott Douglas, handyman driver. Picture: Michael Gillen.

The team has adapted to gather and distribute food packages to those in need since throughout the lockdowns.

Up until now, ROOTS has had to use cars to transport goods from its new Foundry Road headquarters to homes across the region.

Jennifer Cochrane, ROOTS secretary, said: “We’ve been needing a hand for a very long time to help with food pick-ups and we do a lot of furniture deliveries.

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“I was using my car before so it’s a lot easier now. We’re doing between ten and 15 food parcel deliveries to houses per week and just a few a week for the furniture side because it’s only recent.

“We’ve also been given funds by Baillie Gifford in Edinburgh to maintain the van.

“The signs on the van were thanks to Homefront Signs. They donated a massive one that sits outside our premises.”

ROOTS volunteers with social work, addiction services and Women’s Aid.

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The organisation is also hoping to do an Easter project to donate eggs to families and friends.

Call 07808054211, visit the Facebook page or email [email protected].

ROOTS’ volunteers received a further reason to smile when Denny High School pupils pledged to donate all proceeds from a Be the Change: Positive Poems book to the food bank.

The book can be bought for £5.99 from Amazon.

ROOTS is asking members of the public to help promote the school’s project by sharing the purchase link on social media, buying a copy for friends and family and writing a review and submitting a rating on Amazon.

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