Food Train’s Glasgow branch is under threat of closure after the council refused its application for continued funding after 10 years of backing.
The charity provides shopping supplies to hundreds of older people throughout Scotland who may not be able to obtain groceries due to ill health, disability or mobility problems.
Its operations have been supported by Glasgow City Council for the last 10 years.
Food Train’s application for £447,000 over the next three years would have continued to fund the Glasgow service.
The branch will close within 10 weeks without the council’s backing, the charity has said. The charity has said four jobs will be lost and beneficiaries' lives will worsen if it closes.
Since refusing its application, the council has discussed other funding sources with Food Train, the charity said.
CEO: ‘Our members are fearful they will be left without food’
Michelle Carruthers, chief executive of Food Chain, told Civil Society News: “We are shocked to be losing funding and facing the closure of Food Train’s Glasgow branch. After almost 10 years supporting older people right across the city, this is a huge blow. Our older members are genuinely fearful they will be left without food.
“There no capacity in social care to take on hundreds of food deliveries every week. We are pleased officials from Glasgow City Council have been in touch to talk about other potential funding. But it’s only a tiny glimmer of hope and we have to start putting closure plans in place for now.”
The service often delivers food to elderly people that have just came home from hospital to help them recover.
Branch manager: ‘Baffling decision to stop funding’
Chris Curtis, the manager of the Glasgow branch of Food Train, says it supports 220 older people every week with its services.
Curtis said he was fearful for its beneficiaries if the service was withdrawn. If it does not receive funding, the charitable service will close by 31 March, he said.
“It's a baffling decision and one that can only be reached through some sort of bureaucratic error, or if not that, it is incredibly cruel and heartless,” he said.
“This project means so much to them in their communities as well. ”
Since the news the branch could close was announced, there has been an outpouring of support for the service on social media, with some asking if the charity if they had considered crowdfunding to raise the funds.
Food Train responded on social media: “We're considering several options at the moment and we have our next steps in place.”
But for now, it is making plans to close.
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