History

Our Beginning

CFINE grew out of two initiatives back in the mid 1990's with 7 food cooperatives coming together in 1997 to form an unincorporated association: 'Food Cooperatives Network North East'.

Community Food Initiatives North East Ltd. (CFINE) was registered on 20/1/04 and became registered as a charity at a later date. CFINE Enterprise Ltd. was registered with Companies House on 12/9/07.

Illustrations of Growth

CFINE is a very different organisation today from 1997 with a far greater range of services, support and activities benefiting much larger numbers, in the thousands, of disadvantaged, vulnerable, low income individuals and families across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire and, in relation to FareShare, Moray.

Staffing

In 1997, 3 people employed (2 part time)

Now, in 2018 CFINE employed 29 staff (22 full time equivalent)

Premises in Aberdeen

• 1997, based in Aberdeen Foyer’s office in the Marywell Centre;
• 2005, moved to a leased warehouse in our premises here at Poynernook Road which accommodated our office and warehouse;
• 2009, bought with Big Lottery ‘Growing Community Assets’ grant the long lease of 3 of the warehouses in Poynernook Road and leased an office from Aberdeen Forward which had the long lease in the rest of the building;
• 2014, our new office built (in the original warehouse we leased in 2005) with capital finance from Scottish Government; 
• Early2016, regrettably, Aberdeen Forward was dissolved and its assets, including the long lease of the building, were transferred to CFINE;
• Late 2016, community training kitchen, ‘Cook at the ‘Nook’, built with Landfill Community Fund investment.

Support and Services

• 1997, 7 small food coops; now >60 Community Food Outlets;
• 1997, c10 volunteers; now 250+ annually;
• 1997, activities as above; now as above plus food bank, FareShare, Cook at the ‘Nook, Tuk In and other support services. 

Finance

• 1997, income £138,524; 2017 £1,067,417;
• 1997, assets (£17,386); 2017 £1,049,438.