Food Resources In East Lothian

The East Lothian Foodbank
East Lothian Foodbank was set up in 2012 as a direct response to local need. Their mission is the prevention and relief of poverty in East Lothian through the provision of emergency food and to offer support in signposting other services available in the authority.

• Open Monday to Friday, 10:00am to 2:00pm at 3 Civic Square, Tranent, East Lothian, EH33 1LH.  The East Lothian Food bank  provides a 3-4 day supply of groceries and fresh fruit and vegetables. Open to all on a referral basis. Works with referral partners across the county including Citizens Advice, East Lothian Council services, NHS services and local charities. For more information call 07516 510 617 or email info@eastlothian.foodbank.org.uk
  
  

East Lothian Fareshare Hub

• The East Lothian Fareshare Hub is located at the basement of Aldhammer House, Prestonpans High Street. Surplus supermarket food is currently available free of charge for community groups in East Lothian. To find out more email: eastlothianfaresharehub@gmail.com
  
  

Musselburgh

• Basics Banks  Edinburgh City Mission) – provide a 3-4 day supply of both fresh and dried groceries.  Open to all and referral needed from Social Work, Health, CAB, and East Lothian Council using the online referral form.

• Services available from Wallyford Community Centre, Whitecraig Village Hub and
  Musselburgh: pantry – providing food, toiletries, baby supplies, pet food and face masks. Opening hours, Monday to Thursday, 9:30am to 12noon. Provided on a ‘call and collect’ basis. Phone 0131 653 2804 or private message the Community Centres’ Facebook pages – free confidential service

Prestonpans, Seton Sands, Gosford

• Pennypit Community Development Trust in Prestonpans – pantry, hardship fund, meals on wheels for socially isolated and family recipe packs open Monday to Saturday 11:00am to 1:00pm. Find out what’s on on the Pennypit Community Development Trust FaceBook page.

• Foodbank Plus + Lighthouse Hub (Edinburgh City Mission) Prestonpans. Provide a 3-4 day supply of both fresh and dried groceries.  Open to all and referral needed from Social Work, Health, CAB, and East Lothian Council using the online referral form.

• Port Seton Centre – open Monday to Friday 10:00am to 4:00pm. Drop-in pantry of store cupboard and fresh ingredients and a hardship fund for support with food, gas and electric.  Family recipe packs are available by calling the centre and a paid meals on wheels service for those who are socially isolated.  Find out more on the Port Seton Centre Facebook page.

• Longniddry Community Centre – open Monday to Friday 9:15am to 12:15pm. Drop in pantry of store cupboard and fresh ingredients and a hardship fund for support with food, gas and electric. Family recipe packs are available by calling the centre.  Find out more on the Longniddry Community Centre Facebook page

• DadsWork Prestonpans – pantry available for dads – find out more on the DadsWork
  Facebook page

Tranent

• Fundamental Foods – referrals through Facebook and Twitter

• Fa’side Community Pantry – a new community pantry is available within the Volunteer
  Centre East Lothian (VCEL) building at 56 Tranent High Street. The pantry will be open 10:00am to 2:00pm, Monday to Friday and provides non-perishables, fruit and vegetables, fresh products including milk, cheese, yogurts and some baked goods.

• Saturday Kitchen – A provision for all of the community providing hot food including
  breakfast rolls. There is also a community pantry with everyday essentials including
  toiletries. Utility top-ups are also available. Open Saturdays from 10:00am to 12noon at St Martins Church Hall, 150 High Street, Tranent, EH33 1HJ.

• East Lothian Food Bank – Open Monday-Friday, 10:00am to 2:00pm. 3 Civic Square, Tranent, East Lothian, EH33 1LH. For more information call: 07516 510 617

Haddington and Lammermuir

• Our Community Kitchen aims to bring people together in the Haddington and Lammermuir area, who are socially isolated, to share good hearty home cooked food in a relaxed and friendly environment – allowing for friendships to form. There are no barriers to age or ability all are welcome. A referral is required though, for example, from a GP, Health Professional, Social Work or via other routes. For more information including how to make a referral please contact elaine@ourcommunitykitchen.org.uk or visit Facebook.

• Haddington Community Council still has funding available for clothing grants to support local families experiencing financial difficulties. Referrals should be made by professionals working with individuals/families. For a referral form and more information please call 07483 911391 or email vicechair@haddingtoncc.org.uk

• The Lammermuir Larder started in February 2021. The food initiative is based in Haddington and is run by local community volunteers. It is available to anyone who finds themselves in need of emergency food and support.  The Larder operates on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning.  A week’s supply of groceries, fresh fruit and vegetables and a voucher for meat for the local butchers is delivered to the person in needs door.  Referrals can be made by professionals working with families or people can self-refer. For a referral form and more information call 07483 911391 or email team@lammermuirlarder.co.uk 

Dunbar and East Linton

• Dunbar Basics Food Bank covers Dunbar and surrounding villages, providing food, toiletries and household cleaning products, sufficient support for the client and any dependents for 4 days.  Referrals need to come from professionals working with people who are considered to be in crisis and will give advice and guidance of appropriate support agencies that can help. Email: dunbarbasicsbank@gmail.com or call: 07760 957613

• Dunbar Basics Food Bank: growing and cooking projects – Dunbar Basics Food Bank have continued to support and issue home cooked, nutritious Sunny Soups throughout the year for people getting food help. If cooking is something some people need help with then the Dunbar basics food bank, The Ridge, Homestart and other professionals can arrange for a voucher for the “Crunchy Cook bag” meal kit bags with all the ingredients for a simple, 4- portion meal, plus a recipe and a link to a how-to video.  Customers of the Crunchy Carrot are generously donating bags for community distribution. Some of these are half price, some are free. Professionals then have access to the vouchers to give out, via their organisations.
  People can then pre-order a bag and hand the voucher over on collection for either their discount or freebie

• Sunny Soups is a food waste project run in partnership by the Crunchy Carrot and The Ridge, which has proved a lifeline for the project through the pandemic, allowing them to continue making free food for people each week. This has been distributed by the Basics Bank

North Berwick

• North Berwick Kindness Co-operative supports people struggling financially in North Berwick Coastal Ward on each Monday of the week. They offer: foodbank referrals, frozen meals, dried goods, sanitary products, food vouchers for fresh items, pet supplies and home fuel support. They can also supply hearing aid batteries, for those who need them.

• North Berwick Community Centre has a range of books and DVDs available for the public to take. The centre is open from 9:00am to 4:30pm daily.

• For help contact North Berwick Community Centre on 01620 893056 or email: connectedcommunitiesnorthberwick@eastlothian.gov.uk