The Food Train provides a range of vital services to older people living in Scotland, with local volunteers providing weekly deliveries of fresh groceries to older people experiencing difficulties doing their shopping, ensuring they can eat well.

The donation included a £250 contribution from SBHA’s insurance broker Bruce Stevenson. A few members of the team at SBHA will also be volunteering over the Christmas period with The Food Train.

Julia Mulloy, SBHA’s chief executive, said: “This has been a difficult year for many people, and at this time of year in particular, it can be difficult to make ends meet. At SBHA we offer financial support to those who are struggling, including advice on saving money on other household bills.

“We have also worked closely with partners like The Food Train to ensure that people are able to get the food and other support they need. The Food Train provides invaluable support to older people in the Borders, and we are delighted to have been able to make this donation to help them continue their excellent work.”

Richard McDonald, account executive at Bruce Stevenson Insurance Brokers, said: “This is an excellent initiative and one which we are happy to support for the people of the Borders.”

Nikki Hood, regional manager at The Food Train, added: “We are incredibly grateful for the support from SBHA and Bruce Stevenson. This year we have seen demand for our service increase more than double so this donation helps keep us on track and means that we are able to continue taking on new members who need us. I’d also like to thank the staff from SBHA who will be helping us over the festive period.”