Kirkcaldy Foodbank: ‘hope is possible thanks to remarkable work of our volunteers’

Last year it gave out more than 15,000 parcels - an average of 300 every single week, underlining the scale of the problem in our own communities.

To do that requires a small; army of people, and last week’s annual general meeting of the foodbank was a celebration of the volunteers - around 110 in number - at its very heart.

In her annual report, Angela Campbell, chair, said: “This should be a year of acknowledging where we are, what has been achieved, that hope is still possible, and all of this is created because of the remarkable work of our volunteers and partners.”

She paid tribute to the volunteers who sort out the food parcels and get them to people in need - but their role runs much deeper than simply handing them over at someone’s doorstep.

“We are thankful for the many blessings we have received from our tireless volunteers and from our generous community that supports and continually embraces our foodbank,” she said. “This enables us to remain hopeful for the changes we wish to bring into the community and the positive changes we can hopefully give to our clients, so that their lives may improve as a result of visiting the foodbank, which we are proud to say gives out much more than just a food parcel.

“Our volunteers reach out to those in need with kindness and compassion, but equally with advice. They have the knowledge and ability to signpost to those agencies most appropriate to help support our clients with their specific needs. It is this partnership approach that has proved so pivotal in the last few years to help enact those compassionate communities that we are all trying to create in these most difficult of times.”

Nearly 5000 family-sized parcels and more than 6600 parcels for single people were distributed last year - much-needed food to nearly 500 adults and more than 200 children every week.

That number actually dropped by 11% from 2024, partly because the foodbank closed its operation in Burntisland, but the full reasons for the shift are still being analysed.

The foodbank is also running at a deficit of more than £28,000 in 2024 – slightly higher than the previous year, which reflected a reduction in both income and expenditure.

But Jacqueline Armitage, treasurer, stressed: “Our finances are in a healthy position due to good financial governance and monitoring by the board which ensures the foodbank is sustainable in terms of its ongoing future.”

She added: "To mitigate the overall reduction in income, the board has worked extensively to review and reduce expenditure, and we continue to closely monitor spend in light of food price increases."

One of the foodbank’s main challenges of 2024 was finding new premises after being forced to leave its home at Viewforth Church Hall.

Eventually, Fife Council came forward with the offer of space at the Park Road Centre, and the foodbank opened in its new home in October where it shares the same space as several Fife Council services - a joined-up approach that makes a huge difference to people needing support.

That network was highlighted by Melanie Ward MP, who spoke at the AGM held at Pathhead Parish Church halls on Friday evening.

She said: It took an enormous effort and work to find a new base - it was not easy - and moving in with other services has worked out well.” She praised the “amazing job” the foodbank has done to help tackle poverty in her Kirkcaldy constituency - it was done of the first venues she visited after being elected, taking Ian Murray MP on his official visit as Scottish Secretary to see its Viewforth premises before the big move, as well going to to Greener Kirkcaldy’s East Fergus Place HQ.

She recalled their visit last July, just after the General Election, saying: “ "Ian said then that the work you are doing is changing lives, and that is certainly the case.

Ms Ward said it was "brilliant" that the charity is now co-located with several council services.

"People being able to access other services is making a massive difference," she said.

She said the government was working to tackle the causes and effects of poverty through the Child Poverty Taskforce, to which Kirkcaldy Foodbank is contributing

Ms Ward said foodbanks are a relatively recent phenomenon, but that 7.2 million people in the UK now live in food insecurity and it was "important to understand what the coalface of poverty is like".

"If children grow up in poverty it will affect their whole lives, so it is important that we do what we can to tackle it," she said.

Ms Ward said it was "brilliant" that the charity is now co-located with several council services.

"People being able to access other services is making a massive difference," she said.

She said the government was working to tackle the causes and effects of poverty through the Child Poverty Taskforce, to which Kirkcaldy Foodbank is contributing

Ms Ward said foodbanks are a relatively recent phenomenon, but that 7.2 million people in the UK now live in food insecurity and it was "important to understand what the coalface of poverty is like".

"If children grow up in poverty it will affect their whole lives, so it is important that we do what we can to tackle it," she said. She also pointed out that 75% of children in poverty are in working households.

The AGM also recorded some of the many donations from community groups and individuals, and the fundraising efforts behind them.

Kirkcaldy band The Shambolics held a surprise Boxing Day concert at The Duchess of Kirkcaldy which raised £,856; Kirkcaldy Acoustic Music Club held its annual new year gig, and donated £1,372.50, while the foodbank’s Christmas campaign, ‘Give the Gift of Kindness’, netted £37,040 through gift voucher donations and community fundraising and support.

A pub quiz event in Raith Rovers’ lounge at Stark’s Park which raised more than £600 to spend on essential food items for those in need, while Kirkcaldy Night Markets donated money from raffles, and Andy’s Foodbank Skank held a food collection.

Many local businesses, including Club 3000 Bingo, Mind and Body and Fife Shopmobility held food collections for its World Hunger Day campaign, and Fife EIS teachers union visited our foodbank with a donation of food.

There were also donations from the Colin Weir Foundation of £5000, and the Woods Foundation which gave £2500.