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Organisation aims and objectives

Food Train began in Dumfries in 1995 following a community survey of older people that found many of them struggling with their weekly grocery shopping; an idea was developed to ease this burden on older people. A partnership of local shops and volunteers formed and Food Train began making deliveries of fresh groceries to older people in need with the help of local volunteers and shops. Food Train operated very successfully in Dumfries town area between 1995 and 2002 but the founder members knew there was potential to expand the service across the region. A four year funding package from the Scottish Executive ‘Better Neighbourhood Services Fund' awarded in 2002 allowed staff to be recruited to develop Food Train and deliver grocery support across all Dumfries & Galloway. By 2006 the grocery delivery service was fully operational across the region and the Board focused on the evidenced needs of the members and developed Food Train 'EXTRA' - an additional home support service. More recently a third service has been added in Dumfries & Galloway, again responding to the needs of our members with a befriending service helping those experiencing isolation and loneliness. In 2008 we began researching, planning and preparing to expand Food Train into other parts of Scotland. With support from The Scottish Government, Community Food & Health (Scotland) and The Rank Foundation, we have been able to expand Food Train into West Lothian, Stirling, Dundee, Glasgow, Renfrewshire and North Ayrshire, providing food access solutions to many more older people and clearly demonstrating our ability to transfer our successful model geographically. Food Train is now a thriving multi award winning Charity supporting older people in 7 local authority areas in Scotland, with a view to developing further and wider across Scotland to bring food access to all Scotland's older folk.