Shopping lifeline for the vulnerable in Fife marks a decade of support

Fife Shopping and Support Services was founded in September 2010 following the closure of Fife Council’s shopping delivery service.

It is based at Collydean Cottage in Glenrothes, and not only helps clients by collecting groceries, but also assists with pension collections, housework and a befriending service.

Lynne Ogilvie, director, explained how the social enterprise began.

“I was employed by Fife Council at the time and decided to take the service forward myself and create a charity,” she said.

“We originally had an office in Kirkcaldy just to see how it would work out and if there was a need for the service.

“We spent two years at the business incubator unit in Mitchelston and it took off.

“But we needed more space, so we secured a lease at Collydean Cottage in Glenrothes in 2012. We are next to the community centre there and we do a lot of partnership working with them too.”

The organisation offers a range of services.

“We started off by offering a shopping service and pension collection, and, since then, we have developed to offer a package of care - the only thing we don’t do is personal care.

“We offer shopping, housework and befriender services, we take people to medical appointments and we can also help clients with their finances.

“The befriending service covers a lot of things – we can take people out for a walk, take them for lunch, take them shopping or go shopping for them or we can simply sit in the house with them and keep them company.

“We also offer a sitting service to allow family carers away for the day.

“We cater for elderly people as well as vulnerable adults with disabilities over the age of 18.”

The service has 36 support workers, and 600 clients.

When it started a decade ago, Lynne had 10 support workers and around 300 clients.

As well as re-locating to Glenrothes, there have been other changes over the past decade.

The social enterprise had a charity shop at 241 High Street in Kirkcaldy which opened in August 2014.

It sold second-hand clothes, shoes, bric-a-brac, books and children’s toys with the aim of generating an income to support the work of the service.

It also offered placements to young people who were out of work.

Working with Skills Development Scotland, the scheme proved so successful that it secured Fife Shopping and Support Services a prestigious Investors in Young People award in 2016.

Unfortunately due to rates being unaffordable, the shop closed after three years.

She said there have been a number of highlights over the past decade: “In 2012 I got the Entrepreneur of the Year award.

“We have also been recognised as finalists in the Local Hero Awards and we had our Investors In People award, all fantastic achievements.

"Another highlight was working with Fife Council on the Help To Stay At Home service.”

She added: “ I’m thankful for our hard-working staff and the support of our clients. I’m really proud we are still here after 10 years.”

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