Thousands of local residents were disappointed when “Dig In” shut down after funding to keep it going ran out.

Now thanks to fresh funding from the National Lottery the non-profit making shop owned by Elderpark Housing at 193 Crossloan Road, Govan has opened its doors once more.
It is now doing brisk business selling nutritious fruit and veg at greatly reduced prices.

Dig In is a vital tool in helping the Govan community to eat healthily while assisting families to reduce the cost of the weekly food bill.

Open three days a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays it is even able to offer free soup to anyone who calls in on Mondays to beat the winter chill.

This week Elderpark Housing hailed the reopening as a “game changer to help tackle the cost of living crisis.”

The housing association working with the Dig In board secured a year of funding from the National Lottery and there are hopes the funding may be extended for a further three years.

Further generous funding has come in the form of cash from the “GRID Civic Grants Fund” which will be used to organise “pop up fruit and veg themed open days” on Saturdays throughout the year.

GRID stands for Glasgow Riverside Innovation District and its three partners are the University of Glasgow, Glasgow City Council and Scottish Enterprise.

In charge of the shop is Thalia Groucott who said locals were delighted at the shop’s reopening.

Thalia said: “A community shop offering low cost fruit and veg and some other dry goods such as lentils at affordable prices just makes sense while food prices increase and it becomes harder for people to buy the good quality nourishing food that they want.”

Dig In stocks a wide range of fruit and vegetables similar to other greengrocers with stock purchased from a wholesaler in Blochairn in the north of the city.

There are even future plans to create a bartering system where local fruit and veg growers can exchange their products.

Jonathan Giddings-Reid, Elderpark’s community regeneration officer, said: “It’s great that Dig In is back. The National Lottery have been a wonderful support in getting the doors of Dig In open again.

“The shop has a special place in the Govan community and people recognise its important role in fighting food poverty and delivering food dignity.”