Food Train charity spreads a festive warmth across Falkirk district

The packs, delivered by volunteers from the charity Food Train, will help keep people aged 65 and over well as temperatures fall.

They come complete with a blanket, hat, gloves, thermal socks, an insulated mug, ready meals and hot chocolate powder, and have been dropped off with some of the older people’s charity’s members in places including Falkirk town centre, Bo’ness, the Braes and Denny.

The special deliveries were made as Food Train celebrates its second anniversary of helping older people across Falkirk to eat well and live well through its life-improving shopping delivery and befriending services.

And they were met with a great response, with one couple telling the volunteers: “What a wonderful surprise. The items will certainly be well used. We cannot thank you enough for all your help throughout the year.”

About 60 people across Falkirk are regularly having their shopping delivered to them by Food Train volunteers, with in the region of 40 taking part in befriending activities.

Funding for the winter warmer packs has been made possible thanks to shoppers using the blue token donation scheme at Tesco, along with additional support from RVS, Parsley Box and the Country Food Trust.

Amanda Gray, Food Train’s regional manager for Falkirk, said: “It’s essential that older people stay warm and well this winter. The support we’ve had to do this has been amazing, as was the reaction that our volunteers – Michael Lynch, Drew Patrick and Dave Roebuck – had as they dropped the bags off.

“We know that it has been difficult for many of our members who have struggled to manage during the Covid pandemic and then straight afterwards have been significantly disadvantaged by the ongoing cost of living crisis.

“Our research shows that 83 per cent of our Falkirk members live alone, many of them getting by on a low income.

“Worrying numbers of older people are forced to make a choice between buying food and heating because they can’t afford both.”

Amanda explained that, by keeping older people warm and ensuring they have access to food and good company, Food Train hopes to help ease pressures on health and social care services by stopping many from falling ill because of malnourishment or the colder weather.

She added: “We want to make sure that we can help make a difference and greatly appreciate that the local people of Falkirk have contributed to making this happen by voting for Food Train in the Tesco blue token scheme back in the spring.”

The Tesco funding is also supporting a Food Train Christmas lunch for older people, which will take place at Falkirk College on December 20.

People can support the work of Food Train locally by going to www.thefoodtrain.enthuse.com and selecting the Falkirk branch.

Since 1995 Food Train has been making daily life easier for older people, providing vital services to those who are no longer able to manage independently, through age, ill health, frailty or disability. First set up in Dumfries and Galloway, since 2010 it has been branching out across Scotland to help other communities.