we are an anti-poverty charity
aimed at tackling the effects of poverty in Kinross-shire.
WHAT DO WE DO?
Kinross Food Bank
The food bank started life collecting food in the rain under a gazebo and storing it in a garage. Years on, we have a premises in The Beacon at St Paul’s Church, and a great partnership with local shops and the community who donate and collect food for us. Our greatest hope was that we would be made redundant within weeks. That is still our goal.
Garden Project
What began as a way to provide fresh food for our clients by overhauling a patch of overgrown ground behind The Beacon, turned into a project of its own with unexpected benefits. Offering the chance to work in the Garden to our clients resulted in a kind of outdoor therapy. Each year we build on the produce offered and encourage more clients to gain skills and confidence by working in the garden.
Cookery courses
Each year in conjunction with Pat Doran from Loch Leven Community Campus, we run cookery classes for our clients. These focus on healthy eating, eating on a budget and cooking from scratch. At the end of the class, the participants sit together and eat the meal they have prepared. As well as cookery skills, the participants also make valued friendships.
Tuesday Trips
This year we started our Tuesday Trips. As a rural area families struggle to afford public transport and accessing many family friendly activites require a car. We fund coaches, lunches and tickets for entry to various locations which have included Kelpies, St Andrews, Tentsmuir Beach, Glasgow Science Centre, Aberdour, Scottish Deer Centre and more. These trips make memories, increase confidence and build stronger family and community links.
Covid 19
The pandemic and lockdowns provided many challenges that we learnt from. Our food bank usage increased 1000% from May 2019 to May 2020. We were able to react quickly adapting our service, and supplying school lunch parcels and School Closure vouchers for months to ensure the families and children living locally had adequate food and support just when they needed it.
Local Advice Hub
We started the Local Advice hub with our advice partners in 2019. After working with clients for years we began to see a way we could divert them from ever having to access a food bank by helping them get the right advice before they found themselves in a crisis situation. We began inviting groups and services with outreach workers to attend an advice hub, based at Loch Leven Health Centre.
Healthy Families
Through ongoing contact with our clients we identified a need to help families during the holidays and with extra curricular activities. Throughout term time we help with classes and clubs. We fund hardship items on a case by case basis.
Counselling
Mental health issues are often involved in the circumstances of many of our clients. Accessing counselling can be difficult. We offer a person centred counselling service to clients, located locally. Covering bereavement issues, depression, anxiety and other subjects, the feedback is positive and is something we intend to grow and continue.
Winter warmers
Each year as Winter approaches we look to how we can support our community. Families are referred for clothing support in October and we deliver fresh vegetable packs plus butcher’s vouchers in November. These projects not only provide practical help, but also community support to people feeling marginalised and isolated.
Fuel Poverty
As the cost of energy increases families find it harder to afford to heat their homes adequately in Kinross-shire. We provide significant top ups to households referred to us plus we work closely with The Heat Project to give important money and energy saving advice to any householder.
SCHOOL UNIFORM BANK
Each year we take in donations as the school year comes to a close and put together bundles of preloved and new items for children in local households.
What can you do?
We rely on the generosity of our community. Donations of money, time and food are all gratefully received. We take great care to ensure funds are allocated carefully and take all food donations equally as seriously.
To donate money contact: admin@brokenotbroken.org
To donate food Drop-off points are at Kinross Sainsbury’s, open 8am- 10pm every day, Glenfarg Village Store, and Greens, Kinross.
To donate your time, as a volunteer, contact our volunteer co-ordinator at volunteer@brokenotbroken.org
How do you find help?
If you or someone you know is in need, or facing a crisis, then we can help.
The food bank and other projects run on a referral scheme. Our referral agents are the following:
Kinross Primary School 01577 867272
Health Visitors 01577 862112
Doctors at local Health Centre 01577 862112
Women’s Aid 01738 635404
Housing Officer 01738 635404
Welfare Rights Team 01738 476900
If you speak to one of these groups, they can refer you directly to us. We will get in touch by text and have a chat about what you need. Tell us any dietary requirements, or if you have pets or children and we can tailor a food parcel accordingly. We can then find out if you would benefit from any of our other projects. If you don’t know where to start give us a call on 07518 913107.
Who are we?
Annie McCormack
Chair
Susan Mitchell
Secretary
Sheena Hall
Treasurer
Hannah Duncan
Trustee
danielle Ramage
Project co-ordinator
Louise Scott
Volunteer Co-ordinator
Clare Slight
Trustee
John Cameron
Vice-chair
Margaret Donald
Trustee
How to contact us
The Beacon,
St Paul’s Church,
The Muirs, Kinross
07518 913107
Opening Hours Tuesday 10am-2pm or Thursday 10am-2pm
admin@brokenotbroken.org
Currently operating delivery only for food parcels
Our funding partners and supporters:
© 2021 Broke Not Broken
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