A team of NC Working with Communities students managed to collect foodbank items and raise awareness for a vital community resource recently.
Vhairi MacLeod (33) from Grangemouth, Debbie Hutchinson (29) from Alloa, Kirsty Kelly (25) from Falkirk, Bella Forsyth (19), Susan Davorn (58) from Aberdeen but who now lives in Falkirk, Lizzie Clark (24) Falkirk and Aileen Frazer (38) from Stirling also managed to get local Grangemouth Councillor David Balfour to come along and accept the donation to the Kersiebank Community Project.
Vhairi, said: “We choose to do a foodbank as we were trying to raise awareness of poverty and the affects it has on people both mentally and emotionally.
“The reason we choose the Kersiebank project is that they do a lot within the community, and also run a foodbank. As a group we asked friends and family for donations and all in we managed to donate 20 bags of food.
“We also set up an information table with leaflets about where to seek help if anyone was affected with poverty. David Balfour, the local councillor of Grangemouth, kindly came along and accepted it on their behalf. We asked the local councillor as he takes a great deal of interest within the community.
“I think our event was brilliant and we gathered more than what was expected. We are all proud to know that we have potentially helped a good few families with meals. I am super proud of the group.”
Councillor David Balfour, said: “I was very pleased to be invited by the NC Working with Communities class to see their informative and at times very emotive presentation on poverty and its causes and to hear about the work they have been doing to raise the issue, and guide people to various organisations where they can get help.
“The class discussed the amazing work done by Grangemouth's Kersiebank Community Project and went into some depth regarding one of the project’s services - the Kersiebank Food Bank - that has been helping an increasing number of local people in crisis.
“I was very thankful to accept the much needed generous donation of food and sanitary supplies from the class for the food bank, to enable them to continue helping those in need in our community.
“I would like to thank the students for their hard work and the compassion they have shown in raising awareness of poverty".