The Larder was established in 2010 to address rising youth unemployment in West Lothian. Since then, the organisation has helped over 5,000 people through training and delivered over 210,000 meals since 2020 to support people experiencing food insecurity.
Four Compass Scotland volunteers will spend two days every month giving their time and knowledge to help the charity. This will involve preparing and delivering meals, supporting the community cafes in Strathbrock and Blackburn as well as working in the bakery.
David Hay, managing director of Compass Scotland, said: "We are proud to officially partner with The Larder to support our Compass Scotland volunteer programme and continue to support this worthwhile charity. Volunteering is a wonderful way to give back to society and help others, and we hope that this new partnership will look to inspire more people and make a lasting impact in the Scottish communities we serve.”
It is planned that over 50 volunteers will give over 400 hours of their time across the year to support the charity as part of the programme. There will also be four dedicated culinary training days a year, run by Compass Scotland chefs who will support and mentor individuals within the charity to develop their hospitality skills.
Angela Moohan, founder and chief executive of The Larder, added: “We have worked with Compass Scotland over the past two years to ensure that no one in West Lothian goes hungry. We have been incredibly grateful for their support to date, and we are delighted that we are now moving our partnership forward through the volunteer programme. Working together will add valuable resources towards our aim of tackling poverty, empowering individuals and transforming communities.”