Hats-off to Crisis Centre feeding scheme

Sir
Under a large tree near the cemetery in Dundee, an amazing event takes place three times a week.
I had heard about it and seen many women collecting rubbish from our rubbish bags on the pavements and wondered what they did with it. I had read about the problems being experienced at the Crisis Centre in Birkett Street with people gathering there and causing problems for the residents of that street.
This problem has been solved, but the real story of what these women do is not known by most of the community of Dundee.
I met Carol who is the organiser of these events and arranged to go and see for myself what goes on under that tree on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings and was intrigued by what most of us know nothing about and what is happening on our doorsteps. By 9:00am a large crowd of women, old and young, with children were sitting under the tree waiting patiently.
I followed a line of walking women back to the Crisis Centre and found a small group of workers directing women who were all carrying large bags of mainly plastic bottles.
The bags were checked by one of the helpers who gave the bearer a coloured ticket who then took her bag to a huge pile of similar bags stacked in the yard of the Centre. They then walked to the tree and joined the waiting crowd.
The plastic etc. that is collected is sold and recycled.
Eventually, a truck loaded with crates made its way to the tree and after some problems negotiating the rough terrain, stopped under the tree.
The workers started unloading empty crates with which they made a long table onto which they then placed crates full of all kinds of dairy products – maas, yoghurt, juice etc.
The women then lined up and were directed past the table where they handed over their tickets and according to the colour of the ticket, were given the reward for their hard work collecting the plastic, cardboard etc. from the streets.
They were also given a new plastic bag for their next day of work when they would collect more rubbish. The atmosphere was cheerful, the workers’ labour had been rewarded – they had received much-needed food for themselves and their families and they knew that they could do this again and again thanks to the initiative, dedication and hard work of a few dedicated volunteers and a very generous Orange Grove Dairy who provides the reward for these hard working and hungry people.
I take my hat off to the people who regularly give their time and energy to such a good cause.
They not only assist in the cleaning of our town and environment, but they give hope to otherwise destitute and hungry people who are able to become a bit independent through their own efforts. And of course Orange Grove Dairy, who quietly gets on with the business of supporting the needy in our town, should receive credit for their generosity.
Colleen Hefer