CASH BOOST FOR BLAIRGOWRIE LUNCH CLUBS THANKS TO LOCAL RUNNERS

Date: Saturday 17 August

News Release

 

August 2024

 

CASH BOOST FOR BLAIRGOWRIE LUNCH CLUBS THANKS TO LOCAL RUNNERS

 

 

Pictured from left are Gabi Short, Perth and Kinross Council Housing Support Officer, Tom Lloyd and Jo Campbell from Blairgowrie Runners, Norma Whitfield, volunteer Avril Wilson, and Bithia Neave. Image courtesy of Clare McMicking 

 

Kind-hearted volunteers with local running group the Blairgowrie Runners have donated £400 to the east Perthshire town’s Wednesday Lunch Clubs. 

 The lunch clubs, which are part of Blairgowrie and Rattray Development Trust’s (BRDT) BaRI Food Project, are run by volunteers who host monthly in-person get-togethers over soup and cake with residents of Harriet Court, Cluny Court, Darroch Gate and Ericht Court. 

 

The money was raised at the popular New Year’s Day Fun Run and Walk which is organised by volunteers from the Blairgowrie Runners with all proceeds being donated to local groups and organisations. 

 

Tom Lloyd and Jo Campbell from Blairgowrie Runners, visited some of the residents at Harriet Court who were enjoying their lunch recently and presented them with a cheque.

 

Tom said: “All of us at Blairgowrie Runners were thrilled that our New Year's Day Fun Run and Walk raised significant funds, which have been donated to three local groups: Tayside Mountain Rescue, for their volunteer efforts saving lives in our hills; Blairgowrie and Rattray Access Network, for maintaining our beloved footpaths; and the BaRI Food Project, for their invaluable work supporting our community. 

 

“We are proud to support these vital organisations and thank everyone who participated in the fun run and walk and contributed in any way, and we look forward to seeing lots of people take part again next year.”

 

As well as the Wednesday Lunch Clubs, the BaRI Food Project also encompasses the Saturday Lunch Club, the BaRI Food and Refill Store and BaRI Meals.

Lesley McDonald is operations officer at BRDT. Thanking the Blairgowrie Runners for their donation, she said: “We are very grateful for the Blairgowrie Runners for thinking of us, and this donation is much appreciated.

We have decided to split the money between each of the four locations who have Wednesday Lunch Clubs so that the residents can choose how they would like to see the fund used in each of their locations. 

“They may want to use it to enjoy some tasty foodie treats, or some musical entertainment, or to do some sort of activities as a group such as chair-based exercises for example – it is totally up to those involved to decide what they would like to do. We’re looking forward to seeing what they choose! 

“The Wednesday Lunch Club is part of the wider BaRI Food Project which is made up of a number of initiatives aimed at reaching people through food, reducing food waste and food costs, and encouraging growing more food locally. We work closely with other groups and projects to achieve this.

“The BaRI Store is based at 53-55 High Street, Blairgowrie, and sells in-date food and food which is at its best-before-date that supermarkets cannot sell anymore. A range of items - which can include fresh fruit and vegetables, bread, cereal, pasta, sauces and tinned soup and fruit and vegetables - is available to purchase at heavily discounted prices. We also stock eco-friendly cleaning products and toiletries that can be refilled at the store, saving on the number of plastic bottles that end up in landfill.

“The Saturday Lunch Club sees volunteer drivers deliver around 40 portions of soup and cake to local residents every week, and our BaRI meals, which are homemade and made locally, are available to everyone to order. 

“Everything we do is designed to make a positive difference to our town and it is great that the Blairgowrie Runners have supported us in our efforts to achieve that.”

The BaRI Food store is open on Mondays, 2pm to 3pm, Wednesdays, 4pm to 5pm, Thursdays, 9.30am to 10.30am and Saturdays, 10.30am to noon. 

For more information follow ‘BaRI Food & Refill’ and ‘Saturday Lunch Club’ on Facebook or email lesley@discoverblairgowrie.co.uk.

Further information on BRDT can be found at www.brdt.org.uk

 

ENDS

 

For media enquiries, please contact Clare McMicking on 07514 343 042 or media@brdt.org.uk

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