Tom Kitchin and Martin Wishart back campaign to save Pilton health project

The pair are aiming to raise at least £50,000 to allow the project, the oldest of its kind in Scotland, to carry on its work of tackling health inequalities through mental health counselling, support for victims of domestic abuse, cooking groups, affordable childcare and tackling social isolation and loneliness.

Pilton Community Health Project (PCHP) was among 35 projects across the city whose funding has been slashed by Edinburgh Integration Joint Board, which is responsible for health and social care.

Supporters say the project has transformed thousands of lives over the past 35 years.

During December and January PCHP gave mental health counselling to around 50 pupils at local high schools, supported over 140 women who had suffered domestic abuse or were facing other difficulties; helped over 788 people access hot nutritious food and make social connections through community meals; supported over 353 people who were immigrants from 20 different countries; and helped 602 people and their families to access food through its Sharing Shelves initiative and tackle holiday hunger with family food boxes.

Launching the crowd-funding initiative, Tom Kitchin and Martin Wishart said: “We are delighted to add our support to this campaign.

“Leith and North Edinburgh have played a big part in our story so it’s great to be involved in saving the lifelines so many local people rely on.

“We are passionate about food, and about food education and food security, and PCHP plays a really important role in ensuring everyone can access and cook healthy, nutritious meals. It’s vital that these and other services continue.”

They have offered rewards to boost the 28-day #SavePCHP crowd-funding effort, including dinner-for-two tasting menus and matching wines at their Michelin-starred Leith restaurants – The Kitchin and Restaurant Martin Wishart – for the first donors to pledge £1000 or more.

Helen Scammell, co-director at PCHP, said some services had been forced to close already, including the creche and youth counselling, and some staff had already gone.

And she said: “We are clinging on by our fingernails.”

At a public meeting earlier this week, deputy council leader and Forth ward councillor Cammy Day pledged to bring together representatives from the council, health board and Scottish Government in a bid to secure joint funding to keep seven North Edinburgh projects, including PCHP, running for the next year.

Julie Smith, from the Save Our Services campaign, said the cuts went against the Scottish Government’s declared priorities. “They say they want early intervention and preventative work, which is what all these organisations are doing. Without that, they will end up having to spend more on social services and health and so on.”

Donations cane be made at www.savepchp.com.