Lunch time ZOOM meeting - Speaker Gayle Wilson, Leslie Foodbank Update

On Thursday 10th June 2021 President Geoff Sampson welcomed 19 members and Gayle Wilson to this lunch time meeting held by ZOOM.

Four apologies for absence were received.

This week our speaker was Gayle Wilson founder of the Leslie Community Pantry. / Leslie Foodbank who spoke about our support for the Pantry/Foodbank over the past year and she also took the members on a virtual walk round of the pavilion in Leslie, which is in three parts. The container for food storage where she is well supported by local stores, organisations, and members of the public. The pavilion itself which has an area for the pantry where members of the public in need of food come in and get the food they require without question and the other part which is the Foodbank which requires referral before food can be issued.

Over the course of the last year, we in Rotary had supported many charities and organisations and during that time have seen a lot of hardship and many individuals in the community who have volunteered and worked their socks off to support their community and there have been many. One individual was Gayle Wilson who decided one night that she needed to support her community, she stripped her cupboards of all kinds of foodstuffs and with the support of the Station Hotel in Leslie, set up the Leslie Community Pantry. She was well supported by her volunteers, but when the restrictions eased, she had to find new premises when the Station Hotel reopened to the public. New premises were found and that until now has been at the Pavilion, changing facilities at Quarry Park & Back Braes Leslie. But as the football matches are restarting Gayle is now looking for other accommodation, hopefully a purpose-built facility which can be for a foodbank and also child care facility.

During our Zoom meeting President Geoff Sampson left the meeting and travelled down as he made a wee surprise visit to Leslie Pantry/Foodbank to present her with the Rotary Citizen of the Year award to Gayle Wilson in recognition of her work in the local community and has gone on to set up her charity as well as becoming part of Glenrothes Foodbank. What a great achievement well done Gayle a worthy recipient. It has been a pleasure working with Gayle and we hope to continue with this partnership.

The Books abroad project is drawing to a close having had support from schools and the public.

Plants which we ordered earlier in the year were delivered a week past Saturday and groups of Rotarians were planting plants in the Planter at the Riverside Park over the course of three nights last week.

This coming week Thursday 17^thJune 2021 we will have Alan Pithie Rector of Auchmuty High School speak briefly to us as he is soon to retire, with the meet being held on ZOOM at 1pm

If you were interested in supporting the community and international projects get in touch by Private message on The Rotary Club of Glenrothes Facebook page. You will be made most welcome.