We must pull together to help those most in need in Caithness

Bryan Dods, who recently joined Caithness Voluntary Group, and will be working with Caithness Poverty Action Group, outlines the efforts being made locally to mitigate the looming fuel and food poverty crises

Caithness faces a long and difficult winter, with fuel and food poverty adding to the usual miseries of harsh weather and long dark nights. Our community must pull together to help those most in need to survive the looming crisis.

War in Ukraine, financial meltdowns and rising inflation fill the news reports. Elderly people, those with disabilities or health problems and many on low incomes are looking ahead in fear as the cost-of-living crisis develops.

Caithness has always had a strong community spirit and has survived difficult periods in the past. Caithness Voluntary Group is working with many partner organisations, statutory and voluntary, in Caithness Poverty Action Group to get ahead of the coming winter and do our best to help those who might find themselves unable to cope.

So how can we as individuals or families play a part? As well as simply watching out for our neighbours and reaching out to those who need a bit of help, each of us can share, donate or volunteer:

• Share: If you have more than you need, why not share it? Our local food banks, sharing sheds/shacks and community larders are always on the lookout for in-date foodstuffs and other useful goods.
• Donate: If you have a spare few quid, why not give them to our valuable local organisations? Every penny helps, particularly in this time of economic hardship and with winter approaching rapidly.
• Volunteer: A few hours of your time could help a local organisation make a difference to your own area. There’s always a need for people to drive, collect and package goods, prepare meals, assist with kids' groups or just open and close up a sharing shed.

Efforts are under way to arrange relief in terms of food and energy poverty, including setting up warm hubs in public buildings, improving the coverage of food banks and sharing sheds, and assisting with fuel bills with emergency grants and small deliveries of solid fuel or heating oil.

Some of the organisations dealing directly with the cost-of-living crisis are listed below. Why not get in touch and offer a couple of tins, a few pounds or an hour or two of effort?

• Food banks: Caithness Foodbank, with bases in Wick and Thurso, thinks no-one in our community should go hungry. The volunteers provide nutritionally balanced emergency food and support to local people in crisis. If you’d like to help, check out the website caithness.foodbank.org.uk
• Caithness Community Connections: Based in Lybster, CCC works with families and individuals in the area. As well as organising kids' and other events it distributes food and other goods. Email caithnesscommunityconnections@gmail.com
• Thurso Sharing Shed: Located at Thurso Youth Club, this wonderful facility presents donated food (tinned and dried, fresh vegetables, etc) for use by the community and saves good food from being sent to landfill. Contact Thurso Community Development Trust at info@thursocdt.co.uk

• Pulteneytown People’s Project: As well as offering a wide range of support services to the area, the Pulteney Centre has a sharing area in the entrance porch. Various foods are available along with clothing, toys and books. Everyone is welcome to make use of the facility; you can find out more at https://pppwick.org.uk

• Dunbeath Community Wellbeing Centre: Providing meals and gatherings for local people keeps the centre staff busy but they also manage to run a well-stocked sharing shack, where foodstuffs and books can be collected or left for use by others. Contact them on 01593 731335.
• Ormlie Community Association: OCA has been supporting the community since 1997, running many activity groups and providing food for those in need in the locality. Have a look at ormlie.org to find out how you can help.
• Thurso Community Café: The "café with a difference, at the heart of the community" offers great food at reasonable prices. It also supports community activities and offers meals for those in crisis. See more of what it's about at thursocommunitycafe.co.uk

This article only skims the surface. Many other groups are active and providing much-needed help. All of them need extra supplies, money and hands to help out.

For further information on how you can play your part and help our community, contact any local organisation directly, or email Bryan at Caithness Voluntary Group (bryan@cvg.org.uk) for advice and suggestions on where you might assist.

In case you come across an emergency, it’s handy to keep a note of the 24-hour single point of contact number for the Highland adult social care teams: ring 01955 606915.

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