HURLFORD families have been given a 'lifeline', as an empty space has been transformed into a community pantry.

The new project, called 'Hurlford Helping Hands', will provide local families with 12 essential items each week for just £4.50.

The pantry will open its doors to members from Thursday, October 17, providing essential items such as bread, milk, and cereal, along with free fruit and vegetables.

It is a joint venture between the Co-op and Barnardo's, aimed at creating positive futures for young people in the area.

The pantry provides items like bread, milk and vegetables to those who need it (Image: Hurlford Helping Hands) Linda Nesbit, Barnardo's children's services manager for East Ayrshire, said: "The key had been lost and the room was damaged by rain.

"Father Gabriel joked that it hadn’t been accessed since Chernobyl!

"But the community came together, helping all hours and donating paints, brushes - everything we needed to transform the space into what it is today."

The idea for the pantry came from local young people, with the entire community coming together to convert a disused room into a functional space.

Before it was a pantry, the room was just a disused space (Image: Hurlford Helping Hands) Mariia from Ayr, who was involved in the project, said: "Young people said they wanted to make food more accessible.

"The idea of a pantry came up straight away – a place where people of all ages can come without judgement or stigma to get the nutritious food they need to thrive.

"It’s so lovely to see it all come to life."

Councillor Graham Barton, who grew up in Hurlford, said: "We’re still in a cost-of-living crisis, and people are struggling.

"The ‘Hurlford Helping Hands’ pantry will be a wee lifeline for this community."

As well as providing food, 'Hurlford Helping Hands' will host weekly support sessions for young people, offering a mentoring scheme and community improvement initiatives.

Ian Cairns sends his daughter Zoe to the support sessions every week (Image: Hurlford Helping Hands) Ian Cairns, Co-op store manager and Hurlford resident, said: "There’s nothing like this for children in the area – you'd have to go into Kilmarnock or further afield, so it’s amazing to have things like this in Hurlford."

The Co-op and Barnardo's have partnered to raise £5 million to support 750,000 young people across the UK.