Fabulous Food Train Friends
Community-led support for older people.
Lintel Trust is proud to support outstanding projects across Scotland, particularly those that make effective use of local resources and respond directly to the needs of their communities.
Food Train Friends is a strong example of this approach. Based in Dumfries and Galloway, the service provides vital companionship and practical support for older people living in one of Scotland’s most rural areas.
Why this support is needed
Dumfries and Galloway has limited public transport links, which can make it difficult for older people to stay connected with their communities. The area is also a popular retirement destination for people seeking a beautiful and peaceful place to live.
However, when one partner dies, the surviving partner may be left without local friends or family nearby. With many younger people moving away to find work, this can increase the risk of loneliness and isolation.
Food Train’s impact
Food Train has supported older people in Dumfries and Galloway since 1995. Today, it provides a range of services that support around 650 people each day.
This work is delivered by a small staff team of nine, only four of whom work full time. The organisation’s reach and impact are made possible by its network of around 350 volunteers across the region.
As isolation and loneliness have become growing issues within an ageing population, Food Train has expanded its services to meet evidenced community need. Its support now includes:
Home support services
Meal share services
Befriending through Food Train Friends
Together, these services help older people maintain their independence, stay connected and remain in their own homes for longer.
The role of Food Train Friends
Food Train Friends is the only befriending service of its kind in the area, and demand for support is high. Unlike some befriending services, support is not time limited. Many people continue to benefit from the service for the rest of their lives.
Volunteers are central to the project’s success. Their contribution creates meaningful social benefits for both the older people receiving support and the volunteers themselves.
A model that works
Food Train’s successful community-based model has now been replicated in Dundee, Glasgow, Renfrewshire, Stirling, West Lothian and the Scottish Borders.
This demonstrates that locally rooted, volunteer-led support can work across different geographical areas, including rural and urban communities. It also shows the essential role volunteers play in helping older people stay connected and supported.
The challenge of sustainability
There is no doubt that services like Food Train Friends are invaluable. However, as statutory funding becomes harder to secure and charitable funding becomes increasingly stretched, projects like this face significant sustainability challenges.
A £2,000 grant from Lintel Trust helps cover volunteer travel expenses. This enables volunteers to continue reaching older people across Dumfries and Galloway, regardless of where they live.
Find out more about Lintel Trust’s Small Grants Fund and how it supports communities across Scotland.
