Barhale Scotland and BCS Group have extended their partnership with non-profit Empty Kitchens, Full Hearts to fight food poverty in Edinburgh’s communities.

Especially important has been the renewal of a lease on the two hired vans they provided to Empty Kitchens, Full Hearts before Christmas. They are helping to deliver 30,000 meals a week.

Empty Kitchens, Full Hearts was set up as a direct response to the Coronavirus pandemic. It provides 3 hot meals to more than 1350 people a day.

Katie Walker, Barhale’s Business Development Manager explained that following a visit to the charity’s premises last Christmas, both Barhale and BCS Group were keen to continue their support for the charity.

“Having visited and met the team of volunteers at Empty Kitchens, Full Hearts and having seen the sheer volume of food packages they deliver to people in need we were humbled,” she said.

“As a business we are built on certain core values, which include Caring and TeamSpirit. What these volunteers do daily within our community is a great demonstration of those values in action, and fills us all with Pride. Our decision to extend the hire on the two vans is just our way of helping out and playing a small part in all they continue to do.”

Lewis McLachlan from Empty Kitchens, Full Hearts expressed delight at the response they received from BCS Group and the Scottish team.

“Having started out with offering the two vans for 4 weeks, to extend it to a third month is an incredible and selfless act that allows us to deliver this crucial service for so many going though incredibly difficult times.”

“BCS Group and Barhale’s vans help make what we do possible, just today alone they have delivered over 1,000 meals! (Monday 01/02/21).”

“When the team came for a site visit before the latest lockdown, they had already sent the vans ahead of them to help us out, but when they saw the impact and the scale of what we were up against they just ‘got it’ and clearly went away and sat down to see how much more they could help us.”

“We do not have much in the way of client overlap but one thing is clear, when it comes to doing the right thing to help when we can Barhale, BCS Group and Empty Kitchens, Full Hearts are birds of a feather.”

“We’ll be sad to see the vans go back at the end of the extension, but one thing is for sure Barhale and BCS Group will always be part of Empty Kitchens, Full Heart’s story and family.”

John Lawson, Head of Sales at BCS Group said, “It is a privilege to continue to support Empty Kitchen, Full Hearts in the fight against food poverty. These are difficult times and we all need to play our part.”