A COMMUNITY project in Rosyth will be able to expand to even more areas thanks to government funding.

EATS Rosyth has been awarded £68,400 from the Scottish Government’s Supporting Communities Fund to ensure that people in the South West Fife area still have access to food and a range of support during the coronavirus crisis.

As reported previously in the Press, EATS Rosyth, which falls under the Rosyth Projects umbrella, has helped Fife Council and Fife Voluntary Action provide emergency food packs to the vulnerable and those self-isolating during recent weeks.

EATS Rosyth normally runs a community hub sharing surplus food so they’ve been well prepared to help those in need in their community at this time.

Last month, they were given an extra £33,600 to helps locals during the pandemic from the National Lottery and the Scottish Government also feels they’re well placed to help even more villages and towns in the area, including Inverkeithing, North Queensferry, Aberdour, Dalgety Bay, Limekilns, Crombie and Pattiesmuir.

In addition, they’ll also be working with villages that have their own community pantry, such as Oakley.

Project manager Karen Dorrat said: “This funding means we can go further afield and also support other projects like ourselves.

“If people are facing challenges accessing food we can help and anything else they’re struggling with we will also try to support.

“The money is helping us to resource our team, purchase food, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and cleaning products.

“It’s really good that we’ve been funded.

“We can just help that little bit more as we recognise that, sometimes, getting an emergency package is not enough.

“We have had to turn down requests and now don’t have to keep passing people when they’re in a crisis which is stressful enough.

“It’s better when we can tell people that we can look after that for them!”

Annabelle Ewing, MSP for the Cowdenbeath constituency, said: “Amongst all the difficulties that the coronavirus has brought to our lives, one of the positives is the way in which local community groups have really stepped up to the mark.

“Like many others, EATS Rosyth has refocused its activities – in their case, now delivering food parcels – and I am absolutely delighted that they are to benefit from a significant share of the almost half a million pounds Fife-based organisations have received from the Scottish Government’s Supporting Communities Fund.

“This support will enable EATS Rosyth to expand the scope of their food parcel deliveries beyond their current limit of Rosyth and Inverkeithing so more people will be able to benefit from the excellent work they are doing.”

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