Fife cultural food parcel project extended as initiative hailed a success

The initiative, run by Fife Centre for Equalities (FCE) and backed by the National Lottery Community Fund, was due to end this month, but has now been extended to March 2021.

It has delivered over 100 parcels to people in Fife’s Pakistani, Cantonese, Italian, Spanish, and Romanian communities.

Damian Hoggan-Radu, operational assistant with FCE said: “"The project has been very well received, and everyone who has been delivered a parcel has been really happy with what they have got.

Some of the culturally appropriate foods

"We try our hardest to source exactly what has been requested.”

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Damian and his colleagues have been traveling to Edinburgh to to source the majority of foods as it can be difficult to obtain halal, Cantonese and other foods in the Kingdom.

"I’m Romanian and our national dish is polenta which is made from a specific type of cornflour that you cannot find here.”

The project has also been signposting members to other services in the community.

Damian adds: “It is not only about food parcels. We help people access services such as Citizens Advice, transport services such as free travel to and from hospitals.

"What we have found is that it is harder for ethnic minority older people over the age of 60 to find these services as there are fewer initiatives that cater for them.

"When the project is over, we will pass on our findings to supermarkets, foodbanks and other organisations to highlight the need for a greater variety of foods to be made available for minority ethnic people.”

For more information please visit: Fife Centre for Equalities

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