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Freezer donation extends range at Caithness Foodbank


By David G Scott

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THE donation of a food freezer to Caithness Foodbank's newly extended Thurso premises will be "very useful in reducing" food wastage.

That was the opinion of its treasurer Phil Picking after local company, M2 Procurement and Commercial Services Ltd (M2PCS), donated the freezer which will be used to extend the availability of goods available to customers.

Managing director of M2PCS Mike Muir, left, hands over the freezer to food bank volunteers Linda Hamilton and John Deighan. Picture: Duncan McLachlan/Studiograff
Managing director of M2PCS Mike Muir, left, hands over the freezer to food bank volunteers Linda Hamilton and John Deighan. Picture: Duncan McLachlan/Studiograff

Managing director of the business support consultancy, Mike Muir, said: "M2PCS is delighted to be able to support the excellent work that the Caithness Foodbank, in conjunction with other community groups, have been able to do during the last six months of this pandemic."

The food bank recently extended into the vacant shop next door and various local companies helped it in setting up and stocking up with the increased capacity.

Mr Picking said: "We expect the new freezer to prove very useful in reducing waste of food items that Thurso receives through the Fare Share scheme – this consists of unsold food from supermarkets which is just going out of date.

"Previously, if we weren't able to pass it on to clients at the next day's foodbank session then we had to dispose of it. Now, we can immediately freeze bread and other items and then defrost them for use at another session. It will also enable us to provide such items to our clients on days when the supermarket has nothing to pass on to us."

A photograph showing the increased capacity of the food bank in Thurso. Picture: Duncan McLachlan/Studiograff
A photograph showing the increased capacity of the food bank in Thurso. Picture: Duncan McLachlan/Studiograff

Mr Muir said he recalled walking around local shops at the start of the pandemic and seeing "many empty shelves".

"Seeing shelves stripped at the supermarkets made me realise there wasn't enough food to go around," he said.

"I decided to put some company, and personal, money into the food bank when I heard they were undergoing an expansion. I asked them if they wanted a freezer and they said it would be very useful and help stop the food from perishing."

He went on to say how impressed he was with the "passion" of the volunteers and how Caithness Foodbank made great efforts to link up with other community groups in Thurso.

"I like the fact that all these separate organisations came together as part of a really great community effort."

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