A North Lanarkshire-based meals charity is searching for assist to maintain it on the highway, after the engine of their van exploded.
Eat Up collects surplus meals and distributes it to different charities and group organisations together with meals banks.
The charity, which operates from a base simply exterior Holytown, have been pressured to launch a web based fundraiser after their Merecedes van gave up the ghost whereas travelling on the M8.
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Eat Up founder Tommy Reid stated: “It simply made a noise after which there was tons of smoke, so I pulled over to the onerous shoulder however that was it. We nonetheless don’t know what’s occurred to it. The restoration man stated it appeared as if it had blown up and there was coolant and stuff all over the place.
"The fireplace service stated I’d achieved the correct factor by getting it off the highway straight away. I didn’t see any flames however there was smoke all over the place. The motorway was stuffed with it. The emergency companies have been nice although.”
The charity purchased the used car in March 2020, simply earlier than the pandemic, with the assistance of a lottery grant.
Tommy continued: “It labored proper by way of the pandemic, it was phenomenal and by no means allow us to down. All it wanted in that point was the odd tyre and serviced.
“We work throughout, together with Lanarkshire, and gather from locations like Lidl, Aldi and Tesco. We additionally get pallets of stuff from meals producers as nicely. We get a mix of every thing.
“Lidl and Aldi give us quite a lot of ambient foodstuffs [items that can be stored at room temperature], Tesco give us quite a lot of breads and a few chilled issues, Booker give us quite a lot of catering provides like sandwich spreads and issues like that, and Warburtons and Waitrose additionally present us with stuff. We make up packages with a spread and take them to totally different foodbanks, and sometimes people as nicely.”
The charity has round 20 common volunteers plus others who assist out occasionally. Tommy is grateful to Colin McGuinness from Homeless Mission Scotland who has kindly loaned them a van this week, permitting them to proceed working within the quick time period.
With out a van, Eat Up received’t be capable of proceed on the size it has over the previous few years. and they're now attempting to lift sufficient to buy one other used car. They've set a goal of £5000.
“It could price far an excessive amount of to purchase a brand new van,” Tommy admits. “It’s the one van we have now and we depend on it to assist different teams and people who want entry to meals every day. We'd like assist to maintain the service going.”
Extra info on the charity is on the market at: www.eatupcharity.co.uk
You'll be able to donate at: gofundme.com/f/help-us-raise-for-a-new-van?
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