ALDI STEWARTON - RIGG ST

We recently started our food bank due to the current covid pandemic as we had discovered that many people in our community were struggling to feed their families. We decided to take matters into our own hands to feed our community! So far we have helped, nursing homes, sheltered housing, elderly, people who are shielding and various families around the Kilmarnock Area, however this isn't enough there are still too many people going hungry and we want to feed them all!

Blether has a community fridge, a community larder and a community shop selling locally grown fresh food at low cost. We are based in the old Totnosh building at 103 Main Street, Neilston. One of our aims is to remove the stigma from people accessing free food and to increase the dignity involved, for these reasons anyone can access our services and food, you don't need to be referred. We provide a physical location for third sector organisations and council bodies to provide support to residents in the community. Including mental health charities. We're committed to helping people reduce food waste and to access free and low cost locally grown food in a dignified manner. We run workshops in ways to preserve food, to use up left overs , to create natural bath products, seed paper cards. Currently all our services are available for free. At some point in the future we will create a small element of a shop selling locally grown fresh food which will be subsidised. We have lots of photos available of our work so far on our social media channels. We have already partnered with a few local organisations and can ask them for references if required. We have also been visited by our local MSP.

Supporting the Hayocks Community Hayocks in Stevenston North has the highest level of child poverty in North Ayrshire, with around 40% of children living in poverty, placing the area among the top 10 most deprived communities in Scotland. Hayocks Hall is the only community facility in the neighbourhood and acts as a lifeline for local residents. Through volunteers and community support, we provide a community café, a local larder, and a warm space with free Wi-Fi, helping families access affordable food, stay connected, and reduce isolation. We also link residents to vital services for food poverty, debt advice, and mental health support, while organising community activities that bring people together. Donations help us keep Hayocks Hall open, support families in crisis, and build a stronger, more connected community.