Kirkcaldy Foodbank has announced it is closing its Burntisland hub due to the ever-increasing demand on its services.
The board spends more than £200,000 a year on food and handed out more than 16,000 parcels in 2022.
And it says the ongoing rise in the number of people coming forward for help means it can no longer cover the neighbouring town.
Burntisland volunteers alone distribute around 40 parcels a week to families and individuals in need.
And they now hope to set up their own independent foodbank in a bid to keep the service going.
However, they have just six months to get all the necessary arrangements in place.
And its success depends on both fundraising and enough volunteers coming forward to help.
A public meeting will take place next week to discuss the issue.
Kirkcaldy Foodbank will support Burntisland as demand ‘keeps increasing’
Kirkcaldy Foodbank – which operates independently of the Trussell Trust – said the decision to give six months notice had been a difficult one.
But they intend to support the Burntisland volunteers if they take over the hub.
Chairman Ian Campbell said: “After being in operation for 10 years, the demand on Kirkcaldy Foodbank keeps increasing.
“And as a community charity we cannot cover all the places which, to date, we have supported.”
He said the need in Burntisland suggests it would benefit from a more localised solution.
‘Too much need in Burntisland to just leave it’
The Burntisland hub is run from the Salvation Army Hall on Broomhill Avenue.
Team leader Pat Gibson said she was disappointed by the decision but bore Kirkcaldy Foodbank no ill-feeling.
“It was a hard decision for them,” she said.
“We totally understand the reasons and we’re grateful for all the years they’ve had us.”
Burntisland parcels make up 10% of the foodbank’s total, with almost a third going to children.
And Pat added: “There’s too much need in Burntisland to just leave it.”
Public meeting to attract skilled volunteers
A meeting is organised at Burntisland Parish Church at 7.30pm on February 12 for anyone interested in helping.
“The hope is we’ll get enough people together to form a board,” Pat said.
“If we get enough skilled people we can start going down the road of fundraising and starting ourselves up as a charity.”
Ian Campbell added: “We have given assurances to the volunteer team at Burntisland that if the local area wishes to take on this task, we will assist in getting the infrastructure in place.
“The knowledge gained in the last 10 years in terms of governance, operating procedures and training will be shared.”
Conversation