Little did staff at Whitburn’s Community Development Trust know just how vital their community fridge would become when they launched it at the start of the year.
The Community Fridge is run on the principle: Take what you need. Donate what you can.
As the lockdown has added to the tough times families in the town and surrounding villages face, it has become a lifeline for the community.
It provides access to free food for anyone who is struggling.
David Macdonald, the community development worker who manages the project, said: “We are still currently operating our Community Fridge Project from 10am until 12 from our office. We have been receiving donations from local supermarkets and businesses including Iceland, John Livingston and Sons, The Food Store in Norwood Avenue, Glenmore Mini Market, Lidl and Aldi.
“Whitburn Co-op has been particularly supportive of our project from the outset and for that we are very grateful as this allowed the project to get off the ground initially.”
The project has also been working with other community organisations locally and across the county including West Lothian Foodbank, Polbeth Community Hub, Answer House, Livingston FC, West Lothian Council and West Calder and Harburn CDT to ensure it has enough surplus donations and some cooked meals to support those who need that extra support within Whitburn and neighbouring communities.
David said: “We have 16 volunteers supporting us to deliver food packages from our fridge and some cooked meals to those who are isolating and have no other form of support.
“Our volunteers are also working to collect our surplus donations and are on hand for any other support we need on an ad hoc basis.
“Their help has been invaluable to us as an organisation and would not exist without them and their willingness to help their community through these unprecedented times. Since lockdown we have been supporting 43 individuals with packages from the community fridge a few times a week and we have had around 200 visits to our fridge.”
David continued: “All community organisations and charities, big or small are all coming together and doing what they can to ensure that no one in our community should go hungry, which has been wonderful to see that community spirit shine through.”
However, demand for the project will not disappear when the lockdown ends.
David added: “I have no doubt that the effects of this crisis will not be short term and demand for projects like community fridge will only increase, and that is something that we are well aware of.
“However, as with all charities and community organisations, how the project develops and becomes sustainable in the long term will rely on funding that becomes available and accessible.”
Local councillor Kirsteen Sullivan added: “It’s hard to believe that the Whitburn CDT opened its community fridge only a few short months ago. Since then it has become a vital food resource for the local community during the Covid-19 crisis.”
