A CHARITY is set to close its Paisley branch after funding for the service was pulled.
Food Train has written to the 150 residents aged 65 and over to whom its volunteers deliver shopping every week, notifying them that their final deliveries will be at the end of May.
It comes after Renfrewshire Health and Social Partnership (HSCP) decided to withdraw funding for the charity in this financial year.
Redundancy consultation with the charity’s three members of staff in Paisley is also underway.
Group leaders say they have "spent months" exploring ways in which services for its members in the area - almost half of whom are aged over 80 - could be saved.
This included calling on the HSCP to reverse its decision or consider other ways in which its work could be supported.
Alan Dalziel, Food Train’s Paisley-based chair, expressed his "disappointment" at the decision.
He said: "The unfortunate reality is that, without Renfrewshire HSCP’s financial support, our services cannot continue.
"Closure is a heartbreaking but unavoidable decision that our board was forced to take.
"We thank the Renfrewshire branch’s dedicated volunteers for their incredible contributions and our hardworking staff who so often went the extra mile.
"We are extremely disappointed for them and our amazing members that we have not been able to find another way to continue operating locally.
"The services Food Train provides are a lifeline. We know our members will be upset and concerned about what closure means for them.
"Our priority now is helping to ensure, where possible, they have access to the food and support they need.
"We are working with the HSCP and other organisations to try to arrange alternative provision.
A spokesperson from Renfrewshire HSCP said: “We have been in discussion with Food Train over recent months to look at an alternative model of providing the service.
"We were hoping that Food Train could remain an option for people in Renfrewshire through self-directed support.
"Our current financial challenges mean we are faced with difficult choices in maintaining the same levels of funding previously provided and we must prioritise the budget we have available to us.
"We will continue to work with them to ensure that all people who are assessed as needing support from our services, will continue to receive the best care and support we can provide for their circumstances."
