Scotland has a strong history of community food initiatives, from lunch clubs and food co-ops to youth cafés and gardening projects, all working to improve health and wellbeing in low-income areas and to address the needs of different groups of people.
‘A Healthier Me’ aims to make sure that adults with learning disabilities using the Borders support services are supported to get the help they need to eat well and have a healthy lifestyle. The service uses a pathway or toolkit and identifies a key lead member of staff to implement it.
Read ‘‘A Healthier Me’ for adults with learning disabilities’ here
Sadly East Dunbartonshire Food Co-ops have now closed. The food co-ops in Hillhead and Lennoxtown offered access to good quality, low-cost, fresh fruit and vegetables and to volunteering opportunities, where people can develop new skills and get involved in their community.
Read ‘East Dunbartonshire Food Co-ops – good quality, low-cost, fresh food’ here
Perth and Kinross Healthy Communities Collaborative works with older people from specific communities, and empowers them to improve health and quality of life for themselves and their peers. Their work in Birnam and Dunkeld has developed around a focus on eating well and a healthy diet.
Read ‘Perth and Kinross Healthy Communities – older people living well’ here
‘For nobody to go hungry during a time of crisis in the Kirkcaldy area and for everybody to share what they can’ is the foodbank’s mission. It provides emergency food for people in need and support them to find longer-term solutions.
Read ‘Kirkcaldy Foodbank – emergency food and support’ hereSadly North Lanarkshire Food Aid closed because of a lack of funding. It supported people facing hardship and extreme food poverty. It used a range of co-ordinated interventions designed to deliver a more holistic and longer-term approach than food banks have historically been able to offer.
Read ‘North Lanarkshire Food Aid – a more holistic approach’ here
This project which has now closed ran in disadvantaged areas of Angus, focusing on food and health, particularly for women of childbearing age, pregnant women and the under-fives. It had Healthy Start cafés and community gardening and cooking projects.
Read ‘Healthy Happy Communities – food projects for young families’ here
This case study is kept here for historical record. The project was a centre for frail older people from the minority ethnic community where their cultural and religious needs are recognised. The lunch club provided the opportunity for members to enjoy a healthy meal in the company of friends.
Read ‘The Dixon Community – minority ethnic lunch club for older people’ here
Part of the community-led Claddach Kirkibost Centre on the west coast of North Uist, the café offers high quality food and service all year round, together with stunning views and friendly staff. The café is unique in North Uist as a meet-up place for a snack, a meal or just a cup of tea.
Read ‘Claddach Kirkibost Café – a unique meet-up place in North Uist’ here
Confidence to Cook aims to promote healthy eating messages through practical hands-on cookery sessions, particularly in low-income communities with vulnerable groups. Sessions are run across Grampian in a range of venues.
Read ‘Confidence to Cook – community kitchens’ here
Tullibody Healthy Living – community engagement at its heart
Sadly Tullibody Healthy Living (THL) closed its doors in 2018, although the community garden project remains open. THL was a community-led health project where tackling health inequalities was at the heart of what it did. Set up in 2003, it was based in a small ex-mining community in Clackmannanshire.
Read ‘Tullibody Healthy Living – community engagement at its heart’ here