Address
Crossroads, Hurlford, Kilmarnock,
East Ayrshire KA1 5JQ
Call
Ayrshire Food Hub: 01560 324 335
Community Outreach: 07933 118 193
Crossroads Community Hub
Companies House Number 405807
Scottish Charity SC 045827.
Before we answer some of the questions we are being asked most often, we wanted to say one thing.
We are absolutely devastated that the Ayrshire Food Hub Café and Farm Shop is no longer operating.
Almost every day, people stop us in the street, send messages, or pop into the Hub asking the same question: “When is the café reopening?”
That tells us just how much the café meant to so many people. It wasn’t just somewhere to enjoy a coffee or a meal. It was a place where people met friends, attended groups, found support, and felt part of a community.
We know how important that space was, and we share the disappointment of everyone who has seen it close.
While the café itself is no longer operating, the charity has continued working away behind the scenes. We remain committed to supporting local people and are determined to learn from the challenges we faced, rebuild on stronger foundations and, in time, bring the Hub back to life in a sustainable way.
With that in mind, here are some answers to the questions we are most frequently asked.
Why did the café and farm shop close?
The café and farm shop had been operating at a financial loss for some time. Rising staffing costs, National Insurance increases, utility bills and food prices made it increasingly difficult to continue operating in the same way.
As a charity, we had to make the difficult decision to protect our wider community work and ensure the long-term future of Crossroads Community Hub.
It was not a decision we wanted to make, but one we felt was necessary.
Is the charity still operating?
Yes.
While the café and farm shop have closed, Crossroads Community Hub remains active and continues to support local people across rural Ayrshire.
The charity is still operating and remains committed to serving the community.
What does the charity do now?
Crossroads Community Hub continues to:
- Redistribute surplus food as a registered FareShare partner
- Save the equivalent of more than 88,000 meals from landfill through food redistribution
- Seek grants to deliver free cooking classes that help people develop confidence, skills and independence
- Provide a welcoming space for community groups, organisations and local residents
- Work alongside partner organisations to support people experiencing hardship, isolation and food insecurity
- Continue and expand our emergency meals service, which has recently been re-established on a smaller scale after securing funding. We cook and distribute 200 meals/week to towns and villages that don’t have access to supermarkets and food banks
- Create opportunities for people to connect, learn new skills such as gardening and improve wellbeing
Much of the Charity’s work is funded by grants and this has enabled the charity work to continue following the closure of the café and farm shop .
What will the crowdfunder money be used for?
The funding will help us rebuild activity at the Hub and create a sustainable future for the charity.
This includes:
- Community events
- Coffee mornings and social activities
- Family days and seasonal events
- Cooking and craft workshops
- Volunteer development and training
- Food redistribution and community support activities
- Essential building and operational costs
- Working towards reopening the café in a sustainable way
Our aim is to bring life back into the Hub and ensure it remains a valuable community asset for years to come.
How much are you hoping to raise?
Our target is £20,000.
This funding would provide a foundation to restart activities, attract additional funding opportunities and help secure the Hub’s future. This funding would provide a foundation to restart activities, attract additional funding opportunities and help secure the Hub’s future. It would also support our longer-term ambition of bringing the café back in a sustainable way.
Will the café reopen?
We sincerely hope so.
The number one question we are asked is when the café will return, and we understand why.
The café was an important part of the rural and wider community and we know many people miss it.
However, any future reopening must be sustainable and built on strong foundations. We have learned from the challenges we faced and aim to make our future model succeed long-term.
Our immediate focus is rebuilding activity at the Hub, growing volunteer involvement and strengthening the charity’s position.
Can I help without donating?
Absolutely.
We are looking for volunteers who would like to support the Hub.
Whether you can help occasionally or on a regular basis, there are opportunities to assist with events, activities, food redistribution, gardening, administration and potentially a future volunteer-led café operation.
Every contribution of time is just as valuable as a financial donation.
What impact has the Hub had?
Before closure, the café and farm shop welcomed around 3,500 visitors every month, providing a valued rural community space where people could meet, socialise and access support.
Support from the Place Based Initiative, Crossroads Young Farmers and the Aeolian Male Voice Choir enabled us to establish an outdoor play area for kids.
Through our FareShare partnership, we have helped save the equivalent of more than 88,000 meals from going to waste, redistributing surplus food to individuals, families and community organisations across Ayrshire.
When a gap in local food provision emerged in Newmilns, we worked in partnership with Loudoun Church of Scotland (Irvine Valley Parish Church) to establish a new food redistribution service, ensuring support remained available within the community.
Our cooking classes have helped people gain confidence, develop practical life skills and become more independent in the kitchen, with participants reporting increased confidence in preparing meals at home.
Alongside this, the Hub has supported local groups, provided opportunities for people to connect with others, and recently re-established its emergency meals service on a smaller scale following successful funding support.
Our volunteer gardening team have worked constantly to enable people visiting the Hub to relax and enjoy seasonal arrays of flowers and plants
Last year we attracted funding to establish 20 mini allotments to encourage people of all ages and abilities into gardening and growing . We also established a sensory garden appealing to the senses – touch smell , taste see and hear.
We are proud of what has been achieved so far and excited about what can still be accomplished with the community’s support.
How can I stay updated?
Follow our social media channels and website for updates on the crowdfunder, volunteering opportunities, community activities and future plans for the Hub.
We will continue to share progress and keep supporters informed every step of the way.