PIPING hot food was delivered on Christmas Day to vulnerable and isolating people thanks to a community project.

The Ridge joined forces with Dunbar Basics Bank – now Dunbar FoodShare – and the Rotary Club of Dunbar to provide a taste of Christmas to people in the town and surrounding villages.

The scheme, which dates back five years, saw more than 100 festive lunches delivered on Christmas Day.

Margaret Croft, from Dunbar FoodShare, described it as “a huge community effort”.

She said: “We deliver to people we have in the foodbank that are vulnerable, on their own and isolated.

“The Rotary then delivered to places like sheltered housing, Southfield Court, Letham Gardens, and we just contacted the day centre and people like that to flag up people who would be on their own and anybody that would like a Christmas lunch could get one.

“We engaged a team of delivery drivers to come and deliver them.”

Previously, the initiative saw members of the community come together for the festive meal, which was served in Dunbar Parish Church Hall.

However, coronavirus restrictions saw a delivery service introduced in 2020.

Steps had been taken to see people come together again last year but, with the rise in the Omicron variant, it was decided to stick with the delivery model.

Bankhouse Catering, based in Dunbar, was tasked with creating the festive feast, which included turkey and all the trimmings, as well as Christmas pudding.

Meals were not only delivered throughout Dunbar but as far afield as East Linton, Tyninghame, West Barns and Cockburnspath.

Funding came from a number of groups, including Dunbar Community Council and Community Windpower, which has donated more than £2,500 to the initiative since 2017.

The latest donation of £500 helped support the scheme.

Diane Wood, community benefits director at Community Windpower, which operates the Aikengall Community Wind Farms, said: “Christmas is a time of giving support to our family, friends and those around us.

“We are pleased to support the annual Christmas lunch again and provide support to those who need it the most in one of our host communities.”