A charity that has quietly delivered more than just groceries to hundreds of older people across Renfrewshire each week has made the “heartbreaking” decision to close its local branch — a move that will leave a serious gap in support for some of the area’s most vulnerable residents.
Food Train, which has been a lifeline for 150 elderly residents in the region, announced this week that it will cease deliveries at the end of the month following the withdrawal of funding from Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP). The service has depended on £65,000 of annual support from the HSCP since 2013 — funding that has now come to an end.
The charity’s local team, which includes three staff and a band of dedicated volunteers, helps older people not only with shopping but also with meal planning, companionship, and a vital weekly check-in — the kind of low-cost intervention that prevents isolation, malnutrition and, ultimately, hospital admissions.
Alan Dalziel, Food Train’s chair, based in Paisley, described the closure as a “heartbreaking but unavoidable” decision after months of searching for alternative ways to continue. Almost half of the people who rely on the service are over 80 years old, with some aged 90 and above — many of them living alone.
“This is not just a shopping service,” said chief executive Rosie McLuskie. “Our fantastic volunteers play a critical role in stopping older people falling ill because of malnutrition and loneliness.”
The loss of this long-standing service has sparked concerns not just for the wellbeing of older residents, but also for the broader impact on stretched NHS and care services.
While Renfrewshire HSCP acknowledged the valuable role Food Train has played, it cited budget pressures as the reason behind its decision and said it is working with the charity to explore alternative arrangements. But for many, the damage may already be done.
One particularly painful part of this news is the redundancy process now underway for the three staff members in Paisley — people who, like the volunteers, have gone above and beyond for years to keep people fed, supported and connected.
Food Train has pledged to do all it can to help its members transition to other services and will continue to operate its Meal Makers and Eat Well Age Well projects in the area. But for those who have come to rely on a familiar face delivering the week’s groceries — and perhaps the only friendly voice they hear in a given week — the closure is more than a logistical blow. It’s a personal one.
Paisley Photographs 