The boss of a Lanarkshire foodbank was able to hand out 900 pies after an Airdrie’s match postponement on Friday night (January 3) meant they had plenty of food to spare.
John Malcolm, who runs the Wee Mobile Food Bank, alongside Colin Dickson and John Gavin, got the call after the last-minute postponement of Airdrie’s Scottish Championship match against Falkirk.
Not wanting the pies and sweet treats to go to waste, the club called up Malcolm who helped distribute the pies to those who need it, leaving many in the local community with a smile on their face.
John told Glasgow Live: “In the past, when Airdrie shuts down for the season and there’s been chocolate and bits and pieces, it’s been donated to other charities.
“The good thing about us is, we’re able to come and collect things straight away. On Friday, they had all the pies and cakes ready but at 5.30pm a pitch inspection was called and they didn’t think it would go ahead.
“Everything was set up, but it wasn’t safe to go ahead. They’d already cooked all these pies and they got in touch saying ‘we’ve got 900 pies, cakes and hospitality food, is there a possibility you could collect and distribute them’.
The foodbank was given 900 pies to hand out.
(Image: John Malcolm)
“I thought it might be a bit of a task, but I got in the van and jumped down. We took the pies, usually Airdrie gives them to the Airdrie Homeless Unit so I took some of them there.
“We put a post on Facebook, and it went absolutely mental. At this time of year when everyone is struggling, especially in January. The pies were cooked and people were getting them straight away.”
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John and his wife spent around four hours going around the local communities and delivering food to those who needed it. They managed to cover Airdrie, Coatbridge, New Stevenston, Bellshill and Calderbank.
He added: “It’s Airdrie Football Club so it’s great that it was going to locals.
“People were over the moon. They were getting a hot pie on a freezing cold Friday night and a wee treat for the kids too, they loved it.
“None of the pies have gone to waste, which is fabulous and it can be a massive saving for people.”
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