Have You Experienced Hunger? Share Your Story To Help The Larder Shape The Solution

Food insecurity refers to the fact of not having access to sufficient food, or food of an adequate quality, to meet one's basic needs. Food insecurity shouldn’t be commonplace in a country as rich as Scotland, yet increasing numbers of people have such little income that they are unable to meet one of the most basic human rights. Over the past 3 years, The Larder has witnessed the stark realities of food insecurity and the devastating impact that Covid-19 has had on individuals, families and communities that have experienced this in West Lothian.

In an effort to reduce this growing issue, We previously held weekly, pop-up dining experiences to create a safe and social space to enjoy a hot meal and gain support. When the pandemic hit and in-person dining was no longer possible, they pivoted to a delivery service; delivering cooked, chilled meals direct to door or to community fridges. Since they began their mission to alleviate food poverty in West Lothian, The Larder has served 108,383 meals and has helped over 1600 people get back on their feet.

Although this is a service that they are incredibly proud of, it is their wish and their mission that these services are no longer necessary. For this reason, The Larder is committed to making impactful changes as they move forward out of this pandemic. To determine these changes, on the 10th of August 2021, The Larder will be hosting an event that will bring people together to review the current service and ask what is needed to support people who experience food insecurity in the future.  They are asking local people who have experienced food insecurity or professionals that support those who have, to register for the event.   This event will help them understand the gaps in services and the needs of individuals and communities, and will determine the future delivery of their services.

Debbie Joy, Community Development Worker, The Larder said: “The Larder provided more than 100,000 meals during Covid to those most in need, now, we need to think about how we develop the service as restrictions are lifted.  We recognise that financial circumstances will change for many more families as the furlough scheme ends and we want to make sure that our service is what is needed and we are ready for any future increase in demand.”

If you would like to help The Larder in their quest for a fairer and brighter future for West Lothian, please contact us via communications@thelarder.org or click the link below to register to the event.

https://thelarder.beaconforms.com/form/4354df02

Let’s tackle this problem together and help improve the future health and wellbeing of our community!