Final food deliveries tom older people will finish at the end of May

Older people’s charity Food Train has closed its Renfrewshire branch after funding for its services was stopped.

It has written to the 150 residents aged 65 and over to whom its volunteers deliver shopping every week, notifying them that their final deliveries will be at the end of May.

A redundancy consultation with the charity’s three members of staff in Paisley is also underway.

Closure follows a decision by Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) to withdraw its funding for Food Train in this financial year.

Charity leaders have spent months exploring ways in which services for its members in the area - almost half of whom are aged over 80 - could be saved.

This included calling on the HSCP to reverse its decision or consider other ways in which its work could be supported.

Food Train has estimated that the cost to the HSCP of trying to replace what it does with home carers would be £50 per person, per week. That compares to £6.52 for the charity’s services.

Alan Dalziel, Food Train’s Paisley-based chair (pictured), said: “The unfortunate reality is that, without Renfrewshire HSCP’s financial support, our services cannot continue.

“Closure is a heartbreaking but an unavoidable decision that our board was forced to take. We thank the Renfrewshire branch’s dedicated volunteers for their incredible contributions and our hardworking staff who so often went the extra mile. We are extremely disappointed for them and our amazing members that we have not been able to find another way to continue operating locally.

“The services Food Train provides are a lifeline. We understand that our members will be understandably upset and concerned about what closure means for them. Our priority now is helping to ensure, where possible, they have access to the food and support they need. We are working with the HSCP and other organisations to try to arrange alternative provision.”

Food Train, which operates local shopping services across Scotland, had been supported by the local authority on an ongoing basis since 2013, receiving £65,000 annually in recent years.

The majority of those who benefit from Food Train’s services live alone. Almost a fifth of its members across Renfrewshire are aged 90 and over.

Most of them receive a weekly phone call from volunteers to support them to make a shopping list and plan their meals for the week ahead before groceries are collected at Morrisons in Paisley, then delivered to their homes. Volunteers can also help put items away. 

Food Train chief executive Rosie McLuskie said: “Food Train is more than just a shopping service. Our fantastic volunteers play a critical role in stopping older people falling ill because of malnutrition and loneliness. They ensure they have the food they need to eat well and provide enjoyable company so they live well.

“We appreciate the financial strain that public services are under, but are concerned that the loss of our cost-effective services is a false economy which risks increasing pressure on NHS and social care services in Renfrewshire

“Should there ever be a change of heart by the HSCP, we would, of course, be keen to explore how our services could operate in the area.”

McLuskie has written to local councillors and MSPs - many of whom have supported them - to share the closure news.

Food Train’s one-to-one Meal Makers and Eat Well Age Well services will remain available for people in Renfrewshire.

A spokesperson from Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership said: “We have been in discussion with Food Train over recent months to look at an alternative model of providing the service. We were hoping that Food Train could remain an option for people in Renfrewshire through self-directed support.

"Our current financial challenges mean we are faced with difficult choices in maintaining the same levels of funding previously provided and we must prioritise the budget we have available to us.

"We will continue to work with them to ensure that all people who are assessed as needing support from our services will continue to receive the best care and support we can provide for their circumstances.”