The main contributors consist of the BNI (Business Networking International), Including Chris Evans, who has been awarded the community hero award for his continued aid at the pantry.
However, there are fears that the food pantry may have to limit its supplies in response to increased prices, with rises of 3.3 per cent according to The Food Foundation reports.
Stephanie Shortel, a volunteer at the centre said: “If the prices keep increasing, toiletries and toilet rolls, and baby supplies may have to be taken out of our food pantry – the main role is to feed people.”
Gilmerton Community Centre, situated on Drum Street, offers many services to its members such as Stay & Play’s for parents and their children, mental health support groups and a monthly food pantry – the only one in the area to not limit visitor numbers.
The food bank is especially vulnerable as it does not receive funding from The Trussel Trust charity because of its independent status.
All the supplies are bought personally by the food banks organizer, Trisha, who purchases the necessities herself at the local Lidl and Aldi stores, while also accepting help from the BNI’s donations.
Chris Evans, mortgage advisor, has said “I came in here and I just started to speak to people and saw that effectively, there was nothing in the food bank and that they were really struggling. So, what we’ve done was I spoke to one of the directors for this area and they donated all different foods to the bank.”
Consequently, the pantry has been obtaining support from Evans and the BNI for over two years now, with establishments such as the Liberton Golf Club and Gilmerton Miners Welfare & Social Club offering their assistance as well.
The people’s gratitude has been displayed through their nomination of Evans for the “community hero” award, which he was ceremoniously granted March 7th by Ian Murray, Scotland’s Secretary of State and Edinburgh South MP.
In addition to commending Chris Evans for his generosity to his constituents, Ian Murray said: “The food banks, we really shouldn’t have any but whilst we do, they are completely necessary nowadays, there ideally shouldn’t be any but while we do it is a wonderful thing for the community and its really great to see.”
Members of the community are relieved to have the food pantry to fall bank on, but as food inflation grows, more help may be needed to uphold the centre as a bastion of the community’s wellbeing.