A VITAL community project that supports families and children in Clydebank has been awarded a valuable cash boost.

West Dunbartonshire Community Foodshare has received £2,000 from the STV Children’s Appeal to support its work with children and young people in the community.

Individuals and families who experience periods of food poverty are regularly provided with emergency non-perishable food packs.

The community project also provides a school uniform bank, breakfast and lunch for children during school holidays, and cooking and growing projects where families can learn how to prepare low cost, nutritional meals.

Adele Tonner, project coordinator at West Dunbartonshire Community Foodshare, said: “The grant from the STV Children’s Appeal will enable us to increase our project workers’ hours so that we can deliver our cooking course to more people and to partnerships including primary schools, homeless accommodation and Women’s Aid.”

The cooking courses have been running for the past two years and are popular, with really good feedback.

Clair Coyle, a trustee of the Community Foodshare, added: “At the cooking course we are teaching people how to cook on a budget.

“When people go out and buy ready meals it works out a whole lot more expensive. We have been able to teach people to cook from scratch and overall their food bill is a lot less.

“It’s a lot more helpful for people to live on as they are able to feed their family healthy, nutritious meals for less money.”

Read more: West Dunbartonshire Community Foodshare marks five years

In eight years the STV Children’s Appeal has raised over £19 million, with 1,102 grants awarded to projects across all 32 local authority areas in Scotland.

The money raised is distributed to provide practical help like food and warm clothes, create opportunities for training and employability, and enable social and emotional support for those who need it most.

Sir Tom Hunter, trustee of the STV Children’s Appeal, said: “Change comes from individuals, communities and charities with the commitment and drive to make a difference to those most in need.

"We at the STV Children’s Appeal are delighted to support West Dunbartonshire Community Foodshare and want to reiterate our thanks to those who raised funds – every penny goes straight to charities like these to make a real difference.”

In December 2018, the Post reported on how a Drumchapel girl and her partner took part in a dance event and helped to raise more than £14,000 for the charity.

Read more: Strictly kids take to the dancefloor for fundraiser

Ellie Gillan and Zac McGoldrick danced their socks off in the Glasgow Hilton hotel.