The region’s free Youth Beatz Festival is to help stock up six foodbank projects.
All ticket-holders are being asked to take one non-perishable food item that they can deposit in a donation dropbox at the entrance to Dumfries’ Park Farm showfield on the festival days of Saturday or Sunday, June 25 and 26 – if they are able to do so.
Those to benefit are: Lochside Community Association and Summerhill Community Association in Dumfries; Kate’s Kitchen in Annan; Stepping Stones in Castle Douglas; Stranraer’s The Fed Up Café and the Rhins Basics Banks.
Donation is not a condition of entry but the youth steering group of Youth Beatz is hoping festival-goers will join in.
At the last Youth Beatz Festival in 2019 they held a similar appeal, The Food Donation Project, in response to an ever-increasing demand for foodbanks across Dumfries and Galloway.
It generated more than 48,200 individual donated items which were divided between three foodbanks.
Chairman of the council’s communities committee, councillor Archie Dryburgh, is hoping Youth Beats ticket-holders will join in again and has praised the youth steering group, which has been working with foodbank providers for the project.
He said: “The food donation project returning will enable many food providers across our region to get more packages to families in their local communities.
“More than ever before we are seeing increased use of food banks due to the rising cost of living crisis and this initiative will have a direct impact on children, young people and adults most in need.”
Foods to be donated include non-perishable tins of meat, vegetables or fruit; biscuits and cereals; pasta and rice; baby products including milk formula; and toiletries.
Please do not take along items that are perishable or have a shelf life of days or weeks such as frozen items and fresh milk, cheese, yoghurts, eggs, bread, meat or vegetables.
Volunteers from three providers will be on hand each day at the gate to collect and sort the donations.
Councillor John Campbell, vice-chairman of the communities committee, added: “The current cost of living crisis is putting more pressure on individuals and families than ever before and this project will support third sector organisations to provide for our communities in need.
“I am grateful to the young people who have been involved in the planning phases who have made the decision to bring this worthwhile and impactful project back for a second year.”
Paul Smith, of The Fed Up Café, said: “YouthBeatz is a great example of how Dumfries and Galloway Council and a group of local charities can come together to work in partnership with the local community to receive donations of food that then benefit people within our community whom are greatly affected by poverty.
