Ross depot staff to help in launch of food bank's home delivery service; Blythswood Care's staff at its Evanton depot will assist the charity's Inverness Food Bank in the launch of the delivery service during the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak; new deliveries assisted by funding from Tulloch Homes
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STAFF at a key Ross depot will do their bit to help deliver food to those in extreme need across a huge swathe of the Highlands.
Staff who are usually based at Blythswood Care’s main depot in Evanton will work with the charity's Inverness Food Bank to help launch a home delivery service – ensuring those in extreme need continue to receive food in the coming weeks despite the coronavirus lockdown. People living everywhere from Tain in the north to Badenoch and Strathspey in the south will be among those to receive the deliveries.
And Tulloch Homes has done its bit to help out – donating £1000 a week to the food bank for the next eight weeks.
The cash has enabled the launch of the delivery service, which goes live next week.
Lorna Dempster, manager of Inverness Food Bank, said: "This is simply fantastic. I was overwhelmed when I received the phone call. It was such a huge relief.
“Tulloch Homes may have their own issues in the present situation, but it is wonderful that they have taken the time to think about helping the most needy people in our communities.”
She added that, as well as the launch of a delivery service, the food bank will also be able to use the Tulloch Homes cash to make bulk purchases of food from wholesalers to bolster stocks.
George Fraser, chief executive of Tulloch Homes, said: "This is our 95th anniversary year and the Highlands has been our core market down the decades.
“We felt it was important that we do something to show our support for the communities of the area. There are many groups doing sterling work just now but Inverness Food Bank is the one of greatest value to those already in financial crisis.
“Being able to help them to introduce a much-needed delivery service is a valuable outcome from our weekly cash injection throughout April and May. We take satisfaction from enabling these deliveries to happen.”
Mr Fraser added: "We see this as putting something back when the area is enduring such difficult times.”
Tulloch Homes closed down their sites this week on Scottish Government advice.
Lorna Dempster indicated that she hoped the housebuilder’s initiative might encourage others to offer assistance.
“No one knows how much demand for our services will escalate”, she said. “But it is inevitable that the numbers will increase very sharply. We just have to try our best to cope.
“Our food delivery operation will not be for those who are self-isolating who may have means and other options – it is for those in dire straits, and we know there are plenty of them just now.”
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