Is admitting to loneliness one of the last taboos? This year’s Leith Chooses funding event is bringing this theme to the forefront of people's minds by asking community organisations to offer ways to combat the effects of both loneliness and hunger in their local area. 

Many of the people we support at MCFB have made Scotland their home and have left friends and family behind. Lack of English language skills as well as a lack of understanding of how to access mainstream services mean that they are often socially isolated. Furthermore, being on a low income means families often come to rely on Foodbanks. We will be asking people who attend the Leith Chooses funding event on 1 February to cast a vote in support of our project, which will offer three family friendly events based around food and friendship:

• 2 indoor community meals at South Leith Parish Church Halls, where there will be hot food, music, dancing and activities for families as well as an opportunity to take food home at the end of the event. Both of these meals will be held during the day during school holidays.

• A summer barbecue at Vogrie Country Park with transport to and from the Park provided. There will be plenty of food to share, family friendly games and activities, and a chance to meet other people. This will take place during the school summer holidays, a time when many families suffer the effects of food poverty and finding affordable activities for children is a real challenge.

We will be partnering with South Leith Parish Church and World Kitchen in Leith as well as consulting local food banks to reach as many families as we can. If you are 8 or over and you live, work or volunteer in the area marked in the map below, please consider voting for our project on 1 February at Leith Community Centre between 11am and 3.30 pm to bring the many diverse communities of Leith together in food and friendship. Thank you.