Thanks to Tesco and Fareshare (David Grieve)

I am writing as one of the organisers of Shetland Foodbank to offer, on behalf of our clients, a huge thank you to all those Tesco customers who generously supported the Fareshare collection of food items in the store between 30th June and 2nd July.

As the article in last week’s paper said, 165 of large green crates of food items were donated and this will provide the foodbank with much of its stock during the coming months.

The foodbank relies almost entirely on donations of food like this, and the regular donations received from churches, schools and other groups throughout Shetland to support those in our community who, because of some personal crisis, find themselves, and on many occasions their families, without food.

As the article suggested, the demand for foodbank support continues to rise. In the first six months of 2016 the number of food parcels distributed was 205, an 18 per cent increase from the 173 given out in the first half of 2015.

The foodbank is presently based at the Salvation Army hall. However, from 1st August it will be moving to new premises at 20 St Magnus Street and will come under the umbrella of the Trussell Trust, a nationwide social franchise which supports more than 400 foodbanks across the UK.

From 1st August Angela Nunn and I will be running the Shetland Foodbank on a voluntary basis with support from a small team of willing volunteer helpers.

David Grieve
6 Kantersted Court,
Lerwick.