Forres Area Community Trust runs the town hall pop-up pantry on Friday afternoons
A VITAL resource for anyone struggling with the cost of living has re-launched at Forres Town Hall.
As well as reducing local food waste, the Forres Pop-Up Pantry from 2.30-4pm on Fridays offers 10 items for very little cost, a social space with free light refreshments and food demonstrations with complimentary takeaway bags of ingredients and recipe cards.
Town hall custodian Forres Area Community Trust (FACT) is coordinating the voluntary team running the weekly sessions.
Lead volunteer, Graham Watson, confirmed FACT receives a variety of foodstuffs and other items via Moray Food Plus, who distribute the donations from Community Food Initiatives North East (CFINE), Aberdeen - the FareShare organisation for the north-east of Scotland.
He said: “We also get donations of fresh fruit, salad crops and vegetables from growers Incredible Edibles Forres, Transition Town Forres, Mandala Garden Project, Marcassie Farm and Forres Friends of Woods and Fields. All of the fruit and vegetables that have been donated has been grown locally in Brodie, Forres and Rafford so this hugely reduces food miles for the customers and means it is wonderfully fresh.
“There is a balanced choice of food types - members can choose up to 10 items for £3.
“If we are a bit low in basic foods - e.g. pasta, rice or beans - we buy these in, so attendees can go get what they need for nutritious meals.
“There is also usually a miscellaneous free table too. These items depend on the food type and the best before end date.”
He added: “The new set-up entails an area for visitors to socialise and have complimentary tea, coffee and a biscuit. The layout of the tables has also changed and we now have music playing in the background as they shop!”
Volunteers provide food demonstrations, showing how ingredients can make reasonably priced meals or nutritious drinks.
Launched in 2022 during the covid pandemic, the pop-up pantry has used its statutory funding. It will now be self-funding, via fees and fundraising events such as a coffee morning being organised for August 17 at the town hall.
The pop-up pantry currently has a volunteer pool of 12 members. Their roles include ordering stock, setting up and tidying away, supporting the customers, catering, fundraising and promotion.
Mr Watson is one of the keenest, having experienced real hunger through homelessness himself. He felt his world had ended when he lost his job, his marriage and his home back in 2012.
He said: “I closed in on myself while kipping on other people’s settees. I was going from bin to bin for something to eat, saving what I could for the next day in case I couldn’t find more. I stuck to the back streets in case I saw people I knew as I searched for loose change on the pavements.”
Having lived his entire life in Forres, Graham struggled to readjust. Now back on his feet, he enjoys giving back to the community.
He said: “I help out at the pantry because I know what it’s like to not eat properly for long periods. Even just a day’s food goes such a long way.
“It’s somewhere for folk in need to turn. I encourage anyone struggling to come along and take what they need.”
Forres Town Hall also has a table of food in the foyer that is available to anyone from 10am-3pm Monday to Friday and 10am-noon on Saturdays. The donations of food just past its sell-by date is topped up throughout the week via Caboodle, Olio and Neighbourly schemes reducing food waste.
For more information email info@forresarea.org or call 01309 674 388.
