A CASTLEMILK food hub has excelled in its task of keeping one community fed on healthy food.

Netherholm Community Food Hub has fulfilled a vital role during the pandemic thanks to a team of dedicated volunteers whose healthy food packages have kept residents in Netherholm going.

Community group the Netherholm Area Association - which is affiliated to Thenue Housing - also swung into action at the start of the emergency and was soon working in partnership with the food hub.

It has been a lifeline to vulnerable, isolated and older people who may be shielding and also to families whose lives have been turned upside down recently – in many cases resulting in a loss of income.

Nikk McCurdy of Netherholm Area Association – who is also a Board Member of Thenue Housing – said: “It truly has been a remarkable effort by this community which faced a huge emergency the like of which none of us have ever experienced before.

“The dedication and hard work of the many volunteers has been magnificent as have FareShare and the supermarkets and other businesses who have helped us.

"We couldn’t have done it without them.

“We also want to thank our funders which are Thenue Housing, Thenue Communities, STV Children’s Appeal, the Scottish Government along with money from private donations.”

There has been a firm emphasis on creating healthy packages of food and minimising food waste and the Hub has forged a close working relationship with the FareShare charity, which redistributes surplus food to charities.

The Hub is located in the Netherholm Community Hall, built after a 20-year long campaign to build a community hall.

In August it will celebrate its second birthday.

Volunteers have been a crucial component of the delivery system

At the height of the pandemic the hub was issuing its food packages to 202 families every week. This has now fallen to 83 each week as restrictions have eased.

Councillor Margaret Morgan, who represents the Linn ward, said: “This has been an outstanding achievement by the whole community and I was deeply impressed by what I saw on my visit.

"It has been a vital lifeline during the past very difficult months.”