Kirkcaldy Foodbank: £40,000 Christmas campaign launched to bridge ‘significant’ financial gap

The campaign is being backed by Gordon Brown, former Prime Minister and long-standing supporter of the organisation, and Kirkcaldy MP Melanie Ward.

The fundraising appeal has been launched in conjunction with the ‘Christmas Collection’ campaign in support of the foodbank being run by community radio station K107FM, and Love Oor Lang Toun - and aims to provide vital support to some of the most vulnerable individuals and families in the community during the festive season.

The foodbank is running at a deficit every month - at a time when more people than ever look to it for support. The aim of the campaign is to ensure it can operate sustainably, and it is urging the town to rally round its festive appeal.

Kirkcaldy Foodbank provided enough food for more than 300,000 meals in 2024 – spending an average of more than £20,000 per month on food.

There were a total of 15,551 visits to the foodbank last year, an average of 299 per week. Although the figures for 2025 have so far shown a decrease on the figures for 2024 - partly due to the closure of the foodbank’s distribution point in Burntisland - there has been an upward trend in the number of visits in most months this year. The proportion of parcels for single people has also increased this year. – now more than 67% of all parcels given out. In the first nine months of 2025, 22% of the people receiving food were children.

Angela Campbell, who chairs the foodbank, "Even with the fantastic support we receive, we are running at a significant monthly financial deficit. Sustainability is key to continuing our mission of ensuring no-one in Kirkcaldy goes hungry.

“The festive season puts additional pressure on families who are already struggling to make ends meet. We hope the publicity surrounding the Christmas campaign will help raise our profile and enable us to continue our work five days a week, all year round.

"A target of £40,000 may be ambitious but the people of Kirkcaldy have shown their generosity to the foodbank on many previous occasions. Any support - both in collections of food and financial donations - is hugely appreciated.”

Mr Brown said no child or family should go without food at Christmas, and no food bank should be without the funds it needs to offer help at the most important family time of the year.

He continued: “Kirkcaldy Foodbank has fought week in week out ti feed hungry families and the volunteers have done fantastic work keeping their doors open and offering help to people in the greatest of need. Kirkcaldy has rightly prided itself in coming to the aid of people in need It has led to great charities and wonderful, successful voluntary organisations across the town.

“I thank the Fife Free Press for, once again, supporting a great local campaign. Most of us can give a little, and everything donate`d will be acknowledged and put to good use – and that message says to people going without that 'someone cares.’ “

Praising the work of the charity, Melanie Ward said: “Kirkcaldy Foodbank does amazing work supporting those in our community who are in real need. Its food packages, together with their work with other support services, make an enormous difference to many local people. “The foodbank and its brilliant volunteers are hugely deserving of our support.”

The focal point of the ‘Christmas Collection’ event will be ‘Lang Toun Lights’ - the switch-on of the town’s Christmas lights on Kirkcaldy High Street on Saturday, November 29.

People attending the day-long celebration, which includes entertainment and a visit from Santa, will be encouraged to bring donations of essential food items to help those in need. There will be drop-off points, and volunteers from the foodbank on hand to help.

> How to donate:

People can donate to the foodbank campaign via bank transfer or by sending a cheque.

Bank - Barclays, name of account - Kirkcaldy Foodbank, account number 03735796, sort code 20-00-77.

Cheques can be sent to: The Treasurer, Kirkcaldy Foodbank, Park Road Centre, 2 Park Road, Kirkcaldy KY1 3 EL.

> Buy a voucher

People can help by encouraging their friends and family to buy a voucher via the foodbank website as part of their Christmas shopping to truly make a difference this festive season. A voucher equivalent to the cost of a food parcel for a single person costs £19.50, while a food parcel for a couple costs £21 and a family parcel costs £32.

More details about buying vouchers are available on the foodbank website at kirkcaldyfoodbankcharity.org.uk

People might also want to consider asking their employer to consider supporting the campaign or matching donations from staff.

> Branded boards

Businesses can 'get on board' by sponsoring individual branded boards that will be prominently displayed at high-footfall locations and drop-off points during the event. Each board costs just £70, with £10 from every board going directly to Kirkcaldy Foodbank.

Local signage specialists The Sign Co have stepped up as the event’s official print partner, producing the boards and additional assets for the donation points. These will include boards for Kirkcaldy Foodbank with QR codes, enabling passers-by to make monetary donations if they don’t have food items to contribute.

Businesses interested in participating can find more details and sign up by emailing [email protected]