The Cumberland Building Society’s commercial team has partnered with FareShare Glasgow and the West of Scotland to help tackle food poverty in the city.
As part of their commitment to community support, team members spent the day at FareShare’s South Street distribution centre, assisting with unloading and repackaging food supplies for redistribution to local community groups.
The partnership aligns with The Cumberland’s Kinder Banking initiative, which prioritises people and community impact alongside financial services. This year marks the building society’s 175th anniversary, and its ongoing collaboration with FareShare is a core part of its commitment to supporting those in need.
HELPING TO FEED VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES
FareShare Glasgow and the West of Scotland is the largest food redistribution charity in Scotland, supporting schools, homeless hostels, and community centres across 13 local authority areas, covering 52% of Scotland’s population and reaching over 80,000 people each week. The organisation is managed by Move On, a charity helping individuals achieve personal goals through volunteering and employment support.
The Cumberland has a longstanding commitment to social responsibility, offering every employee one day a year to volunteer with a charity of their choice. Responding to an urgent appeal for volunteers, the commercial team chose to support FareShare’s mission to address food poverty.
AN ONGOING PARTNERSHIP
The Cumberland’s involvement on Monday was the latest in an ongoing partnership with FareShare. Since June 2023, the building society has donated £500,000 through its ‘Kinder Kind of Kitchen’ initiative, helping to serve hot meals and distribute food to vulnerable people in Lancashire, Cumbria, and Scotland.
Beyond providing surplus food, the initiative has also helped distribute pet food, toiletries, and baby food to those in need. In November 2023, The Cumberland marked World Kindness Day by partnering with FareShare Glasgow and the West of Scotland to hand out 300 cups of tomato soup at its Annan branch, with a further 100 delivered to local businesses.
The soup recipe was provided by Inna Dorofeieva, who fled Kiev in 2022 with her teenage son to escape the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Now settled in Dumfries, Inna volunteers at Kate’s Kitchen, a charity providing food and support services.
STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY TIES
Scott McKerracher, head of commercial at The Cumberland, emphasised the importance of the initiative, saying: “At The Cumberland, our Kinder Banking commitment is all about making sure banking goes beyond financial transactions—we believe it should actively contribute to building stronger, more resilient communities.
“We’re thrilled to give our support in Glasgow. Our team had the opportunity to get involved and help make a real difference in addressing food insecurity across the city, as well as witness the incredible work FareShare does every day to tackle hunger and reduce waste.
“We’re incredibly proud of the strong relationship we have with FareShare and the assistance we can give to help prevent people from going hungry.”
Jim Burns, director of operations at Move On, highlighted the impact of The Cumberland’s support: “The Cumberland’s support is so important to us and makes a huge difference as we look to reach those in the community who are affected by food insecurity.
“Not only have they assisted us through the Kinder Kitchen initiative, but they get involved with hands-on support which is invaluable.
“We are hugely grateful to everyone from the commercial team who volunteered at our Glasgow depot, they have made a big difference to those across the city who rely on us for support.”
