Point Cafe is at the heart of Larbert and Stenhousemuir community

The Point Community Cafe in King Street, Stenhousemuir, is run by KLSB (Keep Larbert & Stenhousemuir Beautiful) and while it isn’t open as a traditional cafe, it is becoming very well used.

In addition to the busy lunch club, there’s also a drop-in cafe on a Thursday morning where people can get a tasty roll and a hot drink, while Larbert High School pupils get valuable training as baristas.

Starting very soon, the cafe will also be used by Citizens Advice Bureau Denny as an outreach venue to offer its much-needed services in the Stenhousemuir area.

Other groups that have found a home in the cafe include Forth Valley PaNDAS, a group that offers support for post-natal depression, which meets there once a fortnight. There’s also a group of women who have had breast cancer and although they have finished their treatment are still keen to meet up for support.

Other groups that might want to use it as a base should get in touch.

In just a few weeks since it was announced that the lunch club would open on a Wednesday, every single seat on every table is now occupied and there’s a real buzz of chatting and laughter. Those attending are full of praise for what’s on offer.

Lorna Malloy, who attends with husband Ben, said: “It’s absolutely fantastic. We have met so many nice people and we’ve been fed really well.”

Kim McFarlane agrees, saying: “None of us knew each other until we came here. My husband can’t get out and about because he is disabled, but this way he gets company. It’s absolutely brilliant.”

Carol Goulding admits she has surprised herself by how easy she has found it to talk to people in the cafe, which is now so busy they may have to ask people to take it in turns to attend.

“A lot of us live on our own, so it’s great getting out. They’re needing to build an extension on it!” said Carol.

For the staff and volunteers in the kitchen, the sound of laughter and chatting is what it’s all about.

“I must admit, it’s just lovely standing in the kitchen and hearing them all laughing and joking!” said Sheona McMorran, who founded KLSB with her husband John. “People are now meeting up outside the cafe too, which is lovely.”

Sheona and John can still hardly believe how what started as a litter-picking project to clean up their local park has gradually evolved. Firstly, they began planting tubs and baskets around Larbert and Stenhousemuir in a bid to restore some pride in the area.

But setting up a food pantry just as Covid-19 struck could not have been timed more perfectly.

While the premises have changed, that work has continued and the food pantry is now busier than ever as the cost of living crisis continues to hit people hard.

Now the pantry has its own premises, beside Farmfoods in Stenhousemuir shopping precinct, a short walk from the cafe.

John is quick to say that they couldn’t do any of it without the KLSB committee members and the team of dedicated volunteers in both the pantry and the cafe.

As you might expect, nothing is wasted. Any extra meals from the cafe are frozen for pantry members, while any leftover fresh fruit and veg – including the “scruffy bits” – that don’t get used in the pantry will find their way into a pot of soup or home baking at the cafe.

Cafe co-ordinator Val Denny has lots of ideas to turn even the most unusual ingredients into a tasty treat.

“Val’s home baking is legendary,” said Sheona.

Val and Sheona, along with volunteer Lynn McConachie, are joined by Margaret Laird on a Thursday while chef David Punter helps whenever he can, making sure that the food on offer is nutritious and healthy.

But the gleaming kitchen is also being put to good use with culinary courses such as ‘Man with a Pan’, which aims to show men who have never had to cook how to manage in the kitchen.

It’s just one of many food projects they are able to run, thanks to £29,069.42 from the Health Inequalities and Wellbeing Fund of Falkirk Health & Social Care Partnership.

The cafe itself was made possible thanks to funding of £31,000 from Falkirk Council’s Community Choices in March 2022. They also secured enough votes in the last round to get £28,600 that will allow them to buy a van.

The support of the community has also been incredible, from the public and many businesses including Asda, Candied, Ewan Lawson Motors, Londis, Love’s and Eddie’s Food Services.

John said: “If we are short of anything for the pantry, we put an appeal on social media and it soon comes in. The support has been absolutely fantastic, from so many people.”

Among their greatest supporters are Larbert High School pupils whose recent fundraising efforts include a marathon that was jointly run by the school’s S6 captains, raising £920.

The group will continue to evolve as they respond to the need that they continue to see, such as bringing in Citizens Advice and working with Home Energy Scotland.

“We’ve come a long way – we didn’t mean to come this far, but the timing was right,” said Sheona. “It’s been a journey and we’re not finished yet – we’re just on one chapter.”