THE organisation which co-ordinates Cowdenbeath and Benarty food banks desperately needs more warehousing capacity.

Dunfermline Food Bank, which has been in operation since 2012, and supports some of the most vulnerable in many communities, maintains weekly supplies to the volunteer teams in the Benarty Food Bank run, from the Crosshill Centre, and the Cowdenbeath facility at the Fountain.

The Benarty Food Bank covers the Lochgelly, Cardenden and Benarty areas while Cowdenbeath Food Bank supports needy families and individuals in the town and Crossgates and Hill of Beath, along with Kelty.

However, the need for the Food Banks has grown massively and last year’s figures (Apr 17 – Mar 18) saw the base give out 2428 food parcels, feeding 5130 people across the West and Central Fife area. This amounted to over 58,000kg of food given, a financial value of over £100,000.

Jonathan Astill, Project Manager of Dunfermline Food Bank, said that they work with over 150 referral support agencies who issue food bank vouchers which ensures that the people who come through the doors are getting the support they need, so that they don’t need long term backing.

He added that with the introduction of Universal Credit to the Welfare system had a knock-on effect which has seen a significant increase in the number of people needing help since January this year.

He said that the organisation was now in desperate need of support as they seek to find a home in West and Central Fife for their stock. They need new warehousing premises by August 29, in order to continue to operate efficiently and effectively.

If they do not find suitable warehousing, this will have significant impact on the service they can provide to the people of West and Central Fife, all at a time, where the need for the services is on the increase.

Jonathan said: “We don’t want to be here forever. No one in the West Central Fife area should need a food bank’s help and we want to see an end to local people needing emergency food at all.

"However, we are not there yet, we see people every single week-day who are struggling. We can only continue to be a food bank with suitable warehousing, hence our difficulty. Can you help us? “

Could you partner with Dunfermline Food Bank in providing warehousing so that the food bank can continue supporting some of the most vulnerable in our community? Please contact Jonathan on info@dunfermline.foodbank.org.uk if this is something that you can help with?