Community Diners now serving meals across Midlothian
Ten local community diners are opening their doors across Midlothian, offering weekly hot meals to residents on low incomes and helping people access wider cost of living support.
Launched in February, the community diners are running as a 6-8 week pilot. Each location provides a welcoming space for residents to enjoy a nutritious meal, meet friends and neighbours, and connect with services that can offer practical advice and support.
Community Diner locations include:
- Food Fact Friends Penicuik, Wellbeing Hub
- Gorebridge Community Cares, Gorebridge Cares Hive
- Hawthorn Learning Centre, Mayfield
- Mayfield and Easthouses Development Trust Cafe
- Midlothian Muslim Community Centre, Bonnyrigg Mosque
- Newtongrange Development Trust, Pavillion at Welfare Park
- OneDalkeith - for families and residents
- One Dalkeith - operated by Midlothian Youth Platform
- Penicuik Storehouse
- Woodburn Community Hub - Communities, Lifelong Learning and Employability
Already serving meals at OneDalkeith
The community diner located at OneDalkeith has been running for a couple of weeks and is already serving 30 people on Wednesday evenings. The meals are affordably priced and free for children. Last night’s menu included sweet potato and coconut soup, homemade macaroni cheese with a gluten free pasta option, and peach cobbler. There’s no need to book ahead – families and residents can drop-in to eat at the diner.
The community diners pilot secured £70,000 of funding through the Scottish Government’s Fairer Futures Partnership Programme, which aims to bring local partners together to deliver responsive services for families living in, or at risk of, poverty.
Although the pilot will come to an end this spring, Midlothian Council has secured £99,118 from the Scottish Government’s Child Poverty Accelerator Fund to continue the community diners project through to 2028.
At the end of the pilot, the council and its partners will review demand to help decide where and when community diners are best placed to operate over the next two-year period.
Cost of Living support
Cllr Kelly Parry, Midlothian Council Leader and Chair of the Cost of Living Taskforce, said: “Many families are struggling with the continued increase in living costs, especially food prices. We know that food budgets are one of the first things people cut to pay for other vital costs such as housing or energy.
“That’s why it is so important that we develop new initiatives, like the community diners project.
“These services, delivered with our trusted partners, offer nutritious meals at an affordable price, plus a warm space to catch up with neighbours and find practical cost of living support.
“I’m looking forward to more community diners opening in the coming weeks. Together with our partners, we’ll use what we learn from the pilot to shape the next two years of the project.”
Feedback at OneDalkeith "incredibly positive" so far
John Bell, One Dalkeith's Lead Researcher, said: “People tell us they love the food, they love the concept and they love the social aspect.
“We've been delighted by the warm reception that One Dalkeith's Family Diner project has received since launching in week one. Turnout has been strong and steady, consistently catering close to our current upper limit of 30 people per evening. As the project develops, we hope to explore the possibility of expanding this to accommodate up to 40 diners.
“The impact and community response have been incredibly positive. People have praised not only the affordable three-course meals, where children eat free, but also the opportunity to get out, share a meal, and connect with others in the community. It has also provided a fantastic opportunity for One Dalkeith to welcome people who were not previously aware of our work and encourage them to become involved.
“As we move forward and explore the logistics of a second phase following this pilot project, we are considering the introduction of themed meal evenings. The idea of an Eastern European cuisine night has already generated interest, and we feel this would be a great way to ensure the diner reflects the diverse cultures and nationalities represented in the Dalkeith area.
Huge potential for the project moving forward
“Speaking with diners each week has shown us just how valuable the community diner concept could become. It has the potential to be a real mainstay for Midlothian, a place where people not only access affordable meals but also build strong community connections. The demand and enthusiasm we have seen suggest it could easily become an important and well used part of Midlothian's community life.
“By embedding a community research element within the project, we are able to gather real time feedback and adapt the diner as it develops. This allows us to make practical adjustments that strengthen the support the project offers, while also helping us, as a community hub, better understand how we can reach and support our local community.
Preparing for future delivery
Natalie Burnside, Midlothian Community Action’s Midlothian Community Diners Co-ordinator, said: “We are delighted to be coordinating the Midlothian Community Diners project, working with ten trusted local partners to deliver welcoming community meals for families across the area. Their enthusiasm has helped the project get off to a strong start, and we are already seeing the potential impact the Public Diner model could have in Midlothian beyond this pilot phase. The Adopt and Adapt funding has given us the flexibility to test new approaches and learn what works best for future delivery.”
In the picture
From left to right at back: One Dalkeith Lead Researcher John Bell, Natalie Burnside Midlothian Community Action’s Midlothian Community Diners Co-ordinator, One Dalkeith’s Facilities Manager Jade Somerville, and Midlothian Council Leader Councillor Kelly Parry. At the front from left to right are: One Dalkeith Volunteer Declan Park, One Dalkeith Chef Paula Cruickshank and One Dalkeith Volunteer McKenzie Rayner.