A Peebles-based charity has launched a “meals on wheels” service with a difference.
The Food Foundation, together with the Scottish Borders Council community capacity building team, is piloting a meal delivery service called Food and Friendship.
And a big part of the service is the companionship it offers.
Yvonne Maclaren from the Food Foundation explained: “A large part of the service is focused on the companionship part – and we have already had great feedback from our customers and volunteers. People really want to see a service like this return to the Borders.”
The Food Foundation, which is also a social enterprise, aims to help people who are disadvantage in the employment market to get experience and qualifications in hospitality.
“We run a professional catering business and all of our profit goes straight back into the project,” said Yvonne. We have many local customers, including cafes and lunch clubs, and are delighted to include our new Food and Friendship customers.”
Food and Friendship already has a pool of volunteers who deliver freshly-prepared hot and home-cooked nutritional meals to older people in the community – but they will also stay and chat.
Community capacity team Co-ordinator, Lynne Marshall, added: “The idea behind the pilot is to help to address the issues of poor nutrition and loneliness/isolation that many older people encounter.
“We know, for example, that people living alone often do not cook for themselves. Someone coming in during the middle part of the day bringing a freshly cooked meal and sharing conversation and a smile, can be of great value.
“And for the volunteers delivering the meals, this can be a great experience, knowing that they are part of something which can really help to support older members of the community. We are delighted to see this kind of initiative happening in Peebles.
“Let’s hope that the pilot project is a huge success and that more people can benefit from the project becoming a permanent feature in Tweeddale.”
For more information, contact The Food Foundation on 01721 722421 or