We are happy and proud to read the ‘end of £eith Chooses grant’ report from Edinburgh Community Food and Milan who worked together to help older members of our Asian communities in Leith. What a great project! To help those suffering from loneliness and food poverty, they provided nutritious and culturally appropriate hot meals for 25 weeks, with doorstep face-to-face blethers each week, as meals were hand delivered.They also  organised online community eat-together sessions and outdoor trips (to Saughton Park and Jock Tamson’s herb garden and Dr. Neil’s Garden) for social connectedness.

Edinburgh Community Food staff provided specialist online nutrition training for MILAN staff on how to address the health issues affecting older BME people in Leith and free training ftowards the professionally and nationally recognised certificated REHIS course Food Allergy Awareness.
Milan staff receiving their REHIS Certificates from Edinburgh Community Food The group also produced a spiral bound recipe book containing recipes and nutritional facts developed by Milan Staff, used as part of the project and distributed to participants of Leith Bowl Blethers to encourage them and their families to have a go at making the meals themselves. 

“I am registered blind and find it difficult to cook and prepare my meals, therefore appreciate the fresh ethnic meals received otherwise I rely on tin foods mostly.”

“Due to my age I am unable to cook so this hot meal is valuable for me.”

“I love Tuesdays as this is the only day we are guaranteed to eat traditional hot ethnic meal which has been freshly cooked with the best ingredients.”

“I am not able to cook as reside in a hostel and have no kitchen facilities, therefore I thoroughly enjoy the hot cooked meals and really value this project and am ever so thankful as can have the benefit of freshly cooked food.”