Moray Food Plus opens new family centre The Bosie on Elgin High Street
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MORAY Food Plus has opened a new family centre on Elgin High Street, which is set to help people at risk of social exclusion and food poverty.
The centre, called The Bosie, will provide cooking and crafting classes for its partnered community organisations.
Located across from Costa in a former phone shop, The Bosie has a spacious social area and a newly-upgraded kitchen.
Funding for the unit was provided by Glenfarclas Distillery, who donated £16,000, and Award For All, who donated £10,000.
Groups including Moray Women's Aid, Curious Minds Nursery and Moray Reach Out will use the area in a bid to improve the social and cooking skills of users.
The Bosie is set to formally open on Monday, September 5, and will operate from 9.30am until 3.30pm on weekdays. An open day was held on Wednesday, August 31, to show stakeholders the facility.
The opening is the next step on the journey Mairi McCallum that project manager has envisaged for Moray Food Plus – which is far more than just a food bank.
"This has been in the works since November or December," Mairi said. "It was made possible thanks to generous donations – and people volunteering to help refurbish the place.
"We want to provide a more holistic service, something that gives people life skills and confidence. That social aspect is vital.
"We are really looking forward to Monday now and getting going."
The centre is going to be run by support workers Sharon Whiteley and Sandra Kennedy, along with development officer Sarah Cruden.
The trio are set for a busy first week – with a number of groups already booked in for sessions.
Sharon Whiteley, former owner of K9 Hydrotherapy Centre, added: "This centre is in addition to and in conjunction with what we already provide. It's centralising what we do around Moray already.
"It's about nurturing and encouraging the development of cooking and crafting skills – but the main thing is that people come here and enjoy themselves.
"It's a comfortable, warm and welcoming space and it's all about caring, sharing and working together. The classes will be fun and resilience building.
"We also want children to try new foods – it can be expensive buying foods only for your children not to like them. So it's a chance for them to expand their pallets.
"We are just excited to get going on Monday."
