Big Blue Mobile Pantry aiming to alleviate food waste and soaring costs in rural areas to launch in Moray
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A NEW mobile pantry aiming to reduce food waste and alleviate the soaring cost of shopping in rural areas is set to launch in Moray.
Moray Food Plus is launching the Big Blue Mobile Pantry on Monday, April 11, after 18 months of preparation.
The pantry will require a free membership but is available to everyone and will charge users £2.50 per visit. It will operate a fortnightly rota to serve all corners of Moray, focusing on rural areas.
Andy Bentley, Pantry Development Officer, said: "It's a good feeling to be getting the van on the road. There's a bit of a buzz about it just now and we've had plenty of positive feedback.
"The pantry has a total of 27 stops on eight routes and will be operating Monday to Thursday. It's is open to absolutely everybody – it's a zero waste project.
"We are focusing on rural areas where accessing food is more expensive – but we are wary of not replacing local shops."
On board the mobile pantry are stacked shelves, a fridge and a freezer. Shoppers will pay their small fee for a selection of meats, vegetables, tinned goods and crisps.
Donations that are given to the Big Blue (specifically the Big Blue and not Moray Food Plus) will be available for free, along with sanitary products.
Mairi McCallum, project manager at Moray Food Plus, added: "The majority of the stock is food surplus, but we have fresh meat, dairy and fruit and vegetables.
"There is a lot that wholesalers won't accept that is perfectly good, perhaps because it's approaching its best by date or its misshapen. We are aiming to reduce that waste.
"We are not saying that this will replace people's weekly shop, but it will act as a good top-up."
Moray Food Plus is hoping to launch two further pantries – one in Forres and one in Keith – towards the end of April.
The charity is working together with Forres Area Community Trust (FACT) and The Loft in Keith to set up the static pantries.
Big Blue's routes are as follows:
Monday, April 11: Portgordon 10:30am, Findochty 12pm, Portknockie 1.30pm
Tuesday, April 12: Newmill 11am, Grange 12:30pm, Rothiemay 2pm
Wednesday, April 13: Urquhart 10am, Garmouth 11:30am, Kingston 1pm, Mosstodloch 2pm.
Thursday, April 14: Mulben 10am, Inchberry 11:30am, Craigellachie 12:30pm
Monday, April 18: Alves 10am, Dyke 11am, Mundole 12:30pm, Edinkillie 2pm
Tuesday, April 19: Blairfindy 10:30am, Glenlivet 12pm, Tomnavoulin 1.30pm
Wednesday, April 20: Miltonduff 10am, Rafford 1pm, Dallas 2.30pm
Thursday, April 21 (this route will start in May): Archiestown, Cardhu, Upper Knockando, Marypark.
For more information on the Big Blue and its routes, visit www.facebook.com/BigBlueMoray.
