A PEEBLESSHIRE food charity is back from the brink, and hopes to cook up a storm once again with more volunteers.

The Food Foundation, based in Peebles, is a social enterprise which provides food for local businesses, as well as a meals on wheels service for pensioners. Back in April, the organisation lost its annual funding from Scottish Borders Council.

Despite the devastating blow which brought the group to the brink of closure, the team rallied round to serve up a new plan.

Operational manager Yvonne Maclaren told the Peeblesshire News: “Since April, the Food Foundation has critically reviewed all of its activities and developed and implemented a new three year business plan to move forward towards a sustainable future.

“Over the following months, the organisation successfully attracted new funding from the Robertson Trust, the Voluntary Action Fund and the Peeblesshire Charitable Trust – all of which will not only enable the organisation to continue but also to develop.”

The foundation’s meals on wheels style ‘Food and Friendship’ project won praise from locals and councillors during its pilot in March when the Beast from the East hit the Borders.

Despite the heavy snowfall, members and volunteers still managed to deliver meals to up to residents each week.

And the future looks bright for the group, with a range of new and exciting plans ahead.

Yvonne added: “A new project – Food Foundation Favourites which will see the creation of a range of products for sale locally.

“They will be developed from locally grown produce – working with Peebles CAN to use produce from their garden adjacent to the Food Foundation at Victoria Park – meaning zero air miles.

“The project will be supported by local volunteers, and the ideas for the products will be developed by our students and staff.

“We will share more information about our products as they develop.”