COWDENBEATH MSP Annabelle Ewing urged people in the town to remember that the Broad Street based food bank always needs donations of items to maintain stocks.

Ms Ewing attended the Cowdenbeath Food Bank Open Day and Coffee Morning when she met the volunteers and spoke to visitors at the base at the Fountain Meeting Rooms.

Speaking following her visit, Ms Ewing said: “It is no pleasure at all to me that there is a need for a food bank in Cowdenbeath but it is incredibly heartening that there are so many people prepared to give of their time and energy to address that need.

“I was very pleased, therefore, to be able to attend the Cowdenbeath Food Bank’s Open Day and to hear about the vital work they are doing in the community and the issues that they are facing”.

The MSP added: “The food bank is open between 4 and 6pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays and the service is run by a group of about thirty volunteers – and more are always welcome.

“I met with some of those volunteers, who are making such a difference to people who need that bit of additional help to get them through, usually because of delayed or unfairly suspended benefit payments.

“Local people have been extraordinarily generous in keeping the food bank well stocked and donations are always very gratefully received.

“Being dependent on donations and, therefore, not in control of what supplies come through the door, there is - from time to time – and urgent need for specific items and on these occasions, a call to arms will go out on local social media outlets such as the ‘What’s Going On in Cowdenbeath’ Facebook Page and the Cowdenbeath Community Council Facebook Page.

“I would certainly suggest to any constituents interested in helping out the food bank to keep an eye on those pages.

“I want to thank everyone who through donations or volunteering helps ensure that this important service keep going in Cowdenbeath.”

The food bank has been operating in the town for four years and has helped a lot of people in that time head off being short of food.

The operation is co-ordinated by the Trussel Trust’s Dunfermline Food Bank but has been established through the support of the people of the town. The volunteers work a rota system to ensure that the Broad Street facilities is open two days a week to help those who need support.