Leith
Edinburgh Community Food
Awarded £4,616 to provide free meals and fruit to families attending swimming lessons and family fun sessions.
Edinburgh Community Food partnered with Upmo Eat Community Cafés at Ainslie Park and Leith Victoria swimming pools to support families attending swimming lessons and family fun sessions by providing free meals kits and fresh fruit. The project focussed on making healthy food accessible in a welcoming community space where families already gather. Over the course of the project, 480 take and make meal kits were distributed alongside 1,260 pieces of fresh fruit, supported by posters, information leaflets and friendly, practical food advice delivered on site.
The meal kits were designed to build confidence and skills at home, each including a simple, family-friendly recipe with pre-portioned ingredients. Feedback showed a significant positive impact, with 98% of recipients reporting an improvement in their diet as a result. One recipient of the meal kit reported “I have used two of these parcels and was able to make dishes I've never made before and they were lovely. I have a subsidised leisure card since I'm on the cusp for benefits and don't receive any help despite a low income. I have lost two stone and changed my diet completely due to the support from Edinburgh Leisure and your meals have also helped a great deal in terms of both learning new healthy foods and supporting a healthy diet.”