Grangemouth churches launch holiday breakfast club with community partners
Published on 7 July 2021
A group of churches in Grangemouth are working in partnership with the local community to run a breakfast club during the school holidays.
The new project, which will be open Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10am-12pm, is housed in a pre-existing foodbank run by Kersiebank Community Project.
John Haston, who first came up with the idea and is currently a candidate in training for ministry, said:
"The idea was to bring the church to where the people are and not just waiting around for the people to come to the church.
"During the process of looking for shop premises in the local town centre, we were made aware that the Kersiebank Community Project were able to offer the premises they already had and entered into a chat, seeing what we could offer to them," he explained.
"After this chat we were encouraged to see the work they were already doing and were led by God into running a breakfast club during the summer holidays for children and families.
"The best thing about us doing this is that we have been able to work ecumenically too with the Scottish Episcopal Church and the Roman Catholic churches in Grangemouth.
"We are demonstrating the Love of God through the sharing of food and having conversations in the community.
"We pray that God will encourage more to engage over the seven weeks of the holidays and ask the whole church to pray as we continue to work with Kersiebank Community Project."
Bindi Green, chairperson for the Kersiebank Community Project, said:
"John came to us with the great idea of a breakfast club for families and children thoughout the summer holidays.
"For many years now, the food bank has seen an increase of families attending during school breaks, so the club has been a win-win situation for us.
"John magically had this up and running within two weeks, with some of our local children and new families attending.
"He is also providing grab bags for when we are busy and seats are taken, filled with a nutritious breakfast and small toys and crafts.
"We are working together with all the local churches each week, with different volunteers giving all involved an insight into food poverty for families, especially during summer holidays."
Launched on Wednesday 30 June, those coming along have the option to sit in or collect prepared 'grab bags' filled with healthy snacks.
The project can be found in a shop unit in La Porte Precinct, Grangemouth and the congregations involved are know are part of the Churches of Grangemouth (COG) group.
