A community group which provides food provisions to some of Hamilton 's most vulnerable residents is appealing for help after having to close due to not being able to pay rent.
The Hillstop Café is run by volunteers from the Hillhouse Residents and Tenants Association and has become a vital lifeline for locals in recent months as the cost of living crisis continues.
Its aim is to tackle "food insecurity" whereby people can feel comfortable coming to a safe space to socialise and pick up whatever provisions they need, as well as using free services such as money advice.
A fundraiser has since been launched to cover the cost of rent for the facility at Hillhouse and Earnock Community Centre, and ensure the group can continue to support Hamilton locals in need.
The café which runs for four hours every Wednesday was unable to open for four weeks after not having enough funds to cover rent costs for the premises.
However local taxi company Wellman Cars has since stepped in to offer funds for the café to reopen in the coming weeks.
The firm are also offering free transport to those wishing to access the facility.
But the fundraiser aims to secure its sustainability to cover rent for at least one year, with a target of £4250 - so far it has raised just over £2000.
The Hillstop Café has been running for over a year, after being set up to help people during the pandemic. It offers non-referral food provisions and a clothes bank.
It also provides a play area for people to take their children and a chance for locals to socialise.
More recently local councillors such as Mary Donnelly have taken their weekly surgeries to the premises to help more people in the area. And it is often visited by local MSP Christina McKelvie.
Running the fundraiser is Tom Skilling from Hillhouse Community Council. He told Lanarkshire Live : "Thanks to Wellman Cars they've been able to reopen for the coming months but we're trying to raise funds for at least a year.
"People have started to rely on the service and have been asking where it's went. For some older people in the community they miss the social aspect as it's an opportunity for them to get out the house."
Speaking of the people relying on the Hillstop Café, Tom added: "Redundancy or losing your job can happen to anybody, so the people volunteering here do an amazing job and are here every week."
It followed comments on the crowdfunder page, stating: "We recognise that a sudden crisis can happen to anyone such as a benefit delay, an unexpected bill, a change in family relationships, uncertain and insecure work or redundancy and this can put a huge strain on household budgets.
"As the cost of living soars too many people are having to make difficult decisions daily about money, sometimes forced to choose between paying the rent, heating bills and eating.
"Our mission is to reduce hunger by tackling food insecurity.
"Our aim is to promote community spirit, and connectedness and mitigate food insecurity – we reduce isolation by offering a place for social contact, activities and volunteering opportunities.
"All our activities are delivered free at the point of delivery to those who need it the most, to promote inclusiveness and reduce stigma."
More information can be found on the online fundraiser where you can also donate here.
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