NEARLY £4,000 has been given to individuals and families needing food and clothing in Haddington thanks to a community scheme.

The town’s community council set up a fund last August to help people who were struggling.

Ahead of Christmas, the group highlighted that 32 families had been helped since the scheme was created, with more than 100 adults and children benefiting.

Grants have ranged from £30 to £160, with £1,708 being awarded for food and a further £2,276 for clothing.

A spokesman for the community council was pleased with the uptake of the scheme, which also covers Athelstaneford as it falls under the community council boundary.

He said: “Four months ago, we knew there was a need for this project, but we never envisaged the demand we have experienced in the last few weeks.

“We were starting to run low on funds but, thanks to a generous donation made to The Bridge Centre from another organisation that was winding down in Haddington, we will have enough to tide us over the holiday period.

“We can’t thank them enough for this.

“We hope that in 2021 we can secure further funding to keep this project going; we have to, people need this.

“Staff from The Bridge Centre, Our Community Kitchen, the Haddington and Lammermuir Area Partnership (HALAP) and members of the public have helped make a difference to all these people in Haddington in the lead up to Christmas.

“We will be there if anyone needs emergency help.”

Professionals, such as schoolteachers, doctors, health visitors or social workers, or agencies working with people in need, are asked to complete a referral form and then return it to the community council’s resilience team, which is made up of various members of the community group.

The referral is then considered and, if successful, an award is then forwarded on to the person behind the referral.

Any grant awarded cannot be spent on alcohol or tobacco, with receipts passed on to the community council to ensure the money is being spent on its intended purpose.

The community council has had referrals from four different agencies working with families in the area, two schools and from health visitors.

All referrals are kept strictly confidential and the members of the community council have no contact with the individuals or families receiving the grants.

Meanwhile, the community council, in conjunction with The Bridge Centre and Our Community Kitchen, also made up food hampers and emergency food parcels for families in need in the week running up to Christmas.

For more information, go to haddingtoncc.org.uk