Cambridge Bioscience Supports Burnfoot Community
As part of its ongoing supply contract with the University of Edinburgh, Cambridge Bioscience, a UK distributor of life science products for life sciences research, continues to demonstrate its commitment to delivering meaningful social value across Edinburgh and Southeast Scotland.
Now in the third year of collaboration with the ESES Communities Team, Cambridge Bioscience has consistently shown a genuine interest in supporting local communities. Through the close involvement of Lorraine Winter and Gabriella Mallamaci, the company actively pursues opportunities that create a positive and lasting impact on people across the region.
During a recent review of the ESES Communities Portal, Cambridge Bioscience identified an active support request from Burnfoot Community Futures, a charity based in Burnfoot, Hawick, in the Scottish Borders.
About Burnfoot Community Futures
Founded in 2006 by a group of local volunteers following a community consultation, Burnfoot Community Futures exists to improve the wellbeing, quality of life, and opportunities available to residents within the Burnfoot community.
Over the years, the charity has developed a range of initiatives designed to tackle social isolation, improve community resilience, and provide practical support to local people.
Burnfoot Foodshare Project
One of the charity's most impactful initiatives is the Burnfoot Foodshare Project, which began in 2018 as part of a climate change initiative to reduce food waste.
The project redistributes surplus food from supermarkets that would otherwise go to landfill, making it available free of charge to members of the local community. Since its launch, Foodshare has become an essential support service, helping an average of 100 families every week.
Food is sourced through partnerships with local supermarkets, produce grown in the organisation's Community Garden, and contributions from the Cyrenians project. A dedicated team of volunteers then distributes food to local residents three days each week.
Importantly, Burnfoot Foodshare is not a food bank and does not require referrals. The service is open to anyone in the community who wishes to access it, helping reduce stigma and ensuring support remains accessible to all.
Current Support Request
While the project receives regular donations of fresh produce such as bread and vegetables, there is an ongoing demand for long-life, shelf-stable food items.
Donations of canned goods, pasta, rice, cereals, soups, and other cupboard essentials are particularly valuable in helping the organisation maintain a reliable supply of food for local families.
Making a Difference Together
Burnfoot Community Futures expressed its gratitude for the support received through organisations such as Cambridge Bioscience:
Thank you for choosing to support our organisation. Every donation we receive makes a real difference and helps us continue delivering a wide range of support to our local community, from providing food packs through our Foodshare project to offering affordable, home-cooked meals through our Community Café. Your generosity plays an important part in helping us continue this work and ensuring we can provide support where it is needed.
Supporting organisations that make a tangible difference in their communities is an important part of our partnership with the University of Edinburgh and the ESES Communities Team. Burnfoot Community Futures provides an invaluable service to local residents, and we were pleased to support their Foodshare Project. We hope our contribution helps them continue delivering practical support to families across the Burnfoot community.
Through thoughtful engagement with local charities and community organisations, Cambridge Bioscience continues to demonstrate how supplier partnerships can create meaningful social impact alongside commercial success. Their support for Burnfoot Community Futures is another example of how businesses can help strengthen communities and improve lives across Southeast Scotland.