LAST month, we launched our East Lothian Courier Foodbank Appeal, and we’re asking our generous readers to dig deep and help out the county’s vital foodbanks and food initiatives in any way they can.

Now, we’re taking a closer look at a few of the organisations and sponsors involved with our appeal over the course of the next few weeks in the lead-up to our April 18 issue (Thursday), when we’ll be including a donation bag in our paper which readers can fill with goods for he various groups.

There will be lots of convenient locations for you to drop off our bag – we’ll carry a full list in that week’s issue.

We are being supported by our generous sponsors – AC’s Taxis, Minibuses & Coaches; Belmont Group; EDF; and Forth Blinds.

So please, if you can, take part in our appeal and help improve the lives of people in dire need – any donation you can make, no matter how small, will be hugely appreciated.

North Berwick Kindness Co-operative

East Lothian Courier: North Berwick Kindness Co-operative

North Berwick Kindness Co-operative is one of the organisations taking part in the Courier’s Foodbank Appeal and has supported local families since April 2015, when Universal Credit was introduced across East Lothian.

The six-week wait for the first payment of Universal Credit plunged local people into poverty – and people came to North Berwick Community Centre seeking help.

Community development officer Katie Reid (formerly Nevans) approached members of the local community with this issue and the Kindness Co-Operative was born.

A spokesperson said: “Funding was kindly donated by Community Learning and Development, North Berwick Trust and the local area partnership.

“Fast forward to 2020, when we were considering winding up the Kindness Co-Operative as referrals were becoming less, and overnight everything changed when the country was locked down due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The Government provided furlough payments for working people, but any reduction in the income of families who were just above the breadline created the new poor in the UK; North Berwick was no different.

“Again, North Berwick Trust came to the aid of local vulnerable people by providing funding to turn North Berwick Community Centre into a store which stockpiled food for distribution to those most in need.

“North Berwick Kindness Co-operative operates across the North Berwick Coastal ward.

“We are funded to provide local food and fuel support from North Berwick Community Centre every fortnight.

“We provide fresh fruit and vegetables, fridge items and freezer goods, and signpost to financial services.

“Our kind funders continue to be North Berwick Trust and North Berwick Coastal Area Partnership.

“However, demand for the service has risen dramatically since we entered the cost-of-living crisis we are all currently experiencing, and funds are becoming tight.”