‘Peace n Jam’ is a community-led project run by St Luke’s Scottish Episcopal Church, and located in the Auchmuty & Warout area of Glenrothes.
We have refurbished run down and tired spaces in our church building to have warm and accessible shared spaces – a social hub (The Gathering Hall) and community kitchen (‘The Couthy’) together with flexible community space (The Scullery’ (small kitchen) and ‘The Haiver’ (meeting room)). We use the power of food and other activities (arts and crafts and games) to bring people together.
Our spaces are also used by range of other charities and community groups & services. This includes things like debt advice, mental health support, rehabilitation services, social activities and benefits guidance.
We are a small but busy team, comprising of an Admin & Outreach Worker (enquiries@peacenjam.org.uk), a Community Cook, a Community Pantry Development Worker (hello@peacenjam.org.uk) and Team Members & Volunteers; supported by St. Luke’s Vestry and a Steering Group.
If you are thinking of hiring a space, please email our Admin & Outreach Worker (enquiries@peacenjam.org.uk)
Bite and a Blether
For the past two years, our project has hosted ‘Bite & a Blether,’ a welcoming time and space, when our community, awesome staff & volunteers come together regularly (over three days each week) to eat and belong.
We offer ‘Bite & a Blether’ every:
Tuesday 1200 noon – 2pm*
We have home-made soup, toast (with Jam or eggs) & toasties available; as well as fresh fruit and cake!
(Last food orders 1.45pm)
Wednesday 3.30 – 5.30pm
We have a freshly-made, quality meal prepared by Dunc which changes each week and can include, macaroni cheese; sausage casserole, stovies, mince and tatties and vegetable pasta
Thursday, 1030am -1pm
We have bacon rolls, toast (with Jam or eggs), toasties & baked potatoes available; as well as fresh fruit and cake!
(Last food orders 1245pm)
*With thanks to funding from Communities Mental Health & Wellbeing Fund managed in Fife by Fife Voluntary Action, with support from local statutory partners.
*A Scots word which people usually know to mean a lengthy chat between friends (as in.., ”a richt gud blether the gither“)
Community Pantry
Our Community Pantry opened on Tuesday 7th December 2021 and runs alongside ‘Bite & a Blether’ on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
In the first year, the pantry has used its Fareshare and Neighbourly memberships, food donations and local supermarkets – for the most part Morrisons, Glenrothes and the store’s community champion who made up ‘pick up packs’ for customers to purchase (and donate) – to provide food.
The community pantry is a membership scheme where for £2.50 per week members can visit the pantry and select approximately 10 items of their own choosing from our larder, fridge and freezer.
We currently have a waiting list.
Help us bring people together and tackle food insecurity, loneliness and social isolation.
At ‘Peace n Jam’, it’s clear that the year ahead is set to be dominated by cost-of-living concerns and we now expect growing pressure on our community-led support activities. It’s not just low-income families who are suffering – everyone is affected in some way, shape, or form.
And this is where we need your help.
We are reaching out to local businesses, churches, groups and individuals to consider how you can get involved and support people and our community to thrive. Big or small, one-off or regular, every donation benefits individuals and local families.
These are just some of the ways you can give:
- donate food supplies – we can supply a collection box
- donate quality goods – we have a member-led zero waste table
- one-off or regular or donations – we can supply bank details
- come along for a ‘bite and a blether
- volunteer
Pop in and have a blether, our kettles always on! Please help us to spread the word!
Keep up to date with the project on Facebook.
About
At the end of February 2020 St. Luke’s church building closed for refurbishment and on Friday 12 March 2021 we received the new keys to our our sunshine-coloured church, and our new Community Kitchen and Social Hub.
We aspire to make a positive difference to the lives of people within the Auchmuty/Warout neighbourhoods and beyond; and to support community groups and charities working with people and within our community. We will do this by providing a variety of different ways for food to be a part of the community. We have a community larder/pantry & community fridge; and offer regular social meals and gatherings. We also hire out our facilities – improved, inclusive spaces (with free WIFI) – for the use of the community, groups and individuals to deliver a range of projects, events and skills training. We want to make this a place that respects, appreciates and welcomes everybody.
The project will involve our community in the design, development and delivery of the activities we are planning.
Our vision is to be embedded in the local networks that are evolving through the Auchmuty Community Connector Groups, for example the Bowling Club, Scouts, Glenrothes Men’s Shed, Growing Auchmuty (ATRA), Clued Up and Friends of Warout.
Our Funding
On 16 July 2019 (in the very same month the Our Place, Auchmuty programme ended) a long-awaited press release was made by The National Lottery Community Fund announcing St. Luke’s award of £375,235 to run our three year long activity known as Peace ‘n’ Jam. This award will allow for the refurbishment (£251;292 capital) of the non-worship space within the church to establish a community café and social hub (£123,943 revenue).
On the same day, Jenny Gilruth, Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Mid Fife and Glenrothes, lodged a Motion of recognition for our efforts in the Scottish Parliament and we subsequently received a congratulatory letter from Jenny Gilruth dated 5 August 2019.
In June, 2019 St. Luke’s application for funding for the project entitled Peace ‘n’ Jam was approved by the Fife Environmental Trust. The [conditional] award will be £50,000 for heating and a community room.
In May, 2020 St. Luke’s application for funding for the project entitled Peace ‘n’ Jam was approved by the Scottish Episcopal Church, Building Grants Fund. The [conditional] award will be £70,000 specifically to assist in funding the costs of the proposed improvements to the insulation of the building.
In September 2020 an additional grant of £2,000 was awarded to us – increasing our total grant to £72,000.