Fifers reminded it's OK to ask for help as Kirkcaldy charity expands its town centre hub

Earlier this year the charity, which has a family support centre at Mitchelston Industrial Estate, opened a community hub and charity shop in The Mercat Shopping Centre.

It has been serving as an information centre, letting people know about the services that Nourish offers, as well as directing families to other organisations who may be able to help, and providing a welcoming place for people to visit whilst shopping.

However now, the organisation is preparing to open up a second unit within the centre – just a few doors along from the hub – to be able to provide more support to the public.

The move comes as families are struggling with the increased cost of living and more are in need of support – something Lynne Scott, of Nourish, says they should not be scared to ask for.

She said: “As the cost of living crisis continues we are seeing an increase in the requests for support we are receiving.

“These requests are not just for food, but for clothing, household items, furniture and other essentials.

“Many of the families we support are already struggling to make ends meet.

“Being full time carers for children with disabilities and health conditions often means not only being unable to work due to caring responsibilities, but also the daily cost of living is already higher than many other families perhaps with electricity costs for specialist equipment like feeding pumps, extra loads of washing or specific foods for dietary requirements.

“The positive we can take from the situation families are finding themselves in is the open discussions people are having.

“Looking back we know families who found it quite difficult to ask for access to our food support service and tried to make sure others didn’t know they were using it.

“But now with the cost of living crisis affecting so many people it’s the main topic of many conversations.

“It’s OK to ask for help and to admit you can’t afford your weekly shopping.

“If there was ever a time to openly ask for help that time is now.

“No one should feel embarrassed about using a food support service whether that means families registered with Nourish or other local charities, or accessing their local foodbank.

“We all need to support each other and part of that support is reducing the stigma and embarrassment about using these services.”

The team at Nourish have noticed a difference since the community hub opened in the town centre earlier this year.

Lynne explained: “What we have noticed is more and more families coming to the hub asking for advice and support.

“Our idea for the community hub was for somewhere for people to go while out and about and we know the challenges of taking little ones shopping.

“Being in such a central location in the town has been fantastic for more families finding out about our services, and for signposting to other organisations.

"But what we have seen has surprised us.

“We have seen an increase in the number of adults with additional support needs who are struggling with reduced services available since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“A lot of the groups and activities they used to go to, like the St Clair Centre, haven’t reopened.

“Many are spending a lot of time in the Mercat, not for shopping, but because there’s nothing else for them to do and it’s somewhere dry and warm to go.”

It is hoped the extension to the community hub and the distribution centre can open in the next few weeks.

Lynne added: “The new unit will be split in half. Half will be an area that can be used by the community, and the other half will be a distribution centre for our food support service.

"We’re trying to create a warm, friendly welcoming space for people in the community to use and somewhere for them to go.”