South Scotland MSP Joan McAlpine dropped in to Annan Charity Kate’s Kitchen to hand over a cheque for £100. Ms McAlpine was welcomed by Manager, Hazel Thompson, who gave the MSP an update on how the project has adapted in response to the pandemic.
Kate’s Kitchen has been closed to the public since lockdown in March. However, they’ve put in place a number of new measures to make sure they can continue to support the community while restrictions remain in place, including a befriending service and hot meal delivery.
Commenting, Local MSP Ms McAlpine said,
“It was great meet up with Kate’s Kitchen staff and volunteers last week to hear about all the changes they’ve made to enable them to keep helping the people who rely on them for support.
“Although the charity has been unable to operate their adult drop-in services, they’ve been as busy as ever preparing and delivering food parcels, hot meals and activity packs instead. They’ve also set up a volunteer-run phone call befriending service to help tackle social isolation and loneliness. This is a real lifeline for many people who are shielding at home.
“Kate’s Kitchen is a fantastic example of a community coming together to help those who are most in need. Many locals who have been on furlough have been volunteering for the first time. Businesses have helped out too – I heard how the Café Royal is peeling hundreds of potatoes every week for meal deliveries.”
The cheque was a result of Ms McAlpine being interviewed by a market research company who then make a donation to a charity of the MSP’s choice.
