Alyth’s unique community initiative Food For Thought is looking ahead to another year of successful support for low income households, thanks to a total of £20,000 sourced from two local windfarms.
Alyth Development Trust has allocated £10,000 from its strategic funds, which come from the community benefit money donated to the town by the operators of the Tullymurdoch windfarm, north of Alyth.
In addition, ADT secured an additional £10,000 from SSEN Renewables, operators of the Drumderg windfarm, through their community funding scheme.
Food For Thought was set up by local volunteers at the start of the Covid pandemic. Initially a service to help deliver prescriptions and other essentials to local people during the lockdown, it has since expanded into permanent premises in the centre of the town where people can get food, household supplies and information.
Managed since 2020 by Darren Gracey, the hub collects surplus food supplies from local shops and producers and makes them available to all on a “take what you need, pay what you can” basis.
“We’re supporting low income households across the Alyth area and helping to reduce food waste,” says Darren. “It’s a great way of getting help to people who need it but don’t like asking for it. The service is available to all, and aims to support the community in any way we can. The new funding gives us stability to plan and make our operations more effective over the next year.”
George Hall, chair of ADT, said: “Food For Thought has become a key part of the Alyth community in just three years, channelling resources more effectively and directly to those who need it most. It’s a resource for the town that we value enormously, and we see this new funding very much as an investment in Alyth’s resilience and spirit.”