Instant Neighbour: Fresh Food Drop Off

Instant Neighbour are a small local charity who have been supporting the people of Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire for over 40 years. We are delighted to have them join us on Wednesday 15th of October to collect fresh food donations for their Food Bank!

Jacqui, the Community Connector at Instant Neighbour, wrote a piece for us to share on our socials on what Instant Neighbour does for the community.

About Instant Neighbour 

“Our aim is to alleviate poverty in and around Aberdeen. My role at Instant Neighbour is the Community Connector, and my main role is to run the foodbank. Part of my role is ensuring that we have enough stock to issue food parcels, and another part of my role is chatting to everyone who comes to the foodbank to build up a rapport and offer person-centred support and signposting. The goal is to reduce the need for people to use the foodbank by providing support for them to maximise their income, and we do this by empowering people to take their own steps towards help, with myself or other agencies as support if required.

We also have other agencies that visit the foodbank to offer advice, such as the Department of Work and Pensions, and the Financial Inclusion Team from the local authority. This means that people can access the support they need in their community.

Instant Neighbour also has a physical shop, based on St Machar Drive, which sells high-quality, low-cost pre-loved furniture and household items such as white goods, clothing and bric-a-brac. Everything is checked to ensure it is safe and sound. We also have an online store, Home Comforts, where the same care and attention is given to all our pre-loved products before being bought by you! This is great for the environment, as it diverts waste from landfills.

We also have a carpet service, Carpetinc, and a joinery service, Joinerinc. These are professional services which can be accessed by anyone. We also offer employability experiences through volunteering in our warehouse, the foodbank, our shops and in the office. We are supported by an incredible group of volunteers who ensure we can run our services efficiently day-to-day.

The profits which are made in the shops and through our other services go towards our charitable work, such as the foodbank, and at Christmas, The Giving Tree appeal.

The foodbank has seen a notable increase in need since I started in my role at the end of 2023. In 2023, we issued 7450 food parcels. In 2024, we issued 7797 food parcels. To date, in 2025, we have issued 6535 food parcels, and in 2025, we have also to date, registered 486 new clients. As the cost-of-living crisis continues, and food and energy bills remain high, and coming into the winter months, these numbers are expected to increase.

The food parcel we issue is made up of ambient items; however, we always try to offer fresh fruit and vegetables too, as it is important that those we support have choice, dignity, and the ability to access healthy food on a low income. The donations of your extra fruit and veg will make a massive difference to those who access our food bank, so on behalf of the staff, volunteers, and the board, thank you for your generous donations at The Mains of Drum.

If you’d like any more information on our services, or would like to donate any furniture, household items, or food, please contact Instant Neighbour for more information on 01224 489955, or email [email protected]."

- Jacqui, Community Connector, Instant Neighbour