1st Step

10/06/2026

The recovery meeting and 1st Step Cafe @ Longcroft Hall will be closed next week - 16th June.
We only close one week a year when the Linlithgow Marches celebrations take place.
Recovery meeting & Cafe will resume as usual 23rd June.

Hope everyone has a good time and also stays safe and well 😊

09/06/2026

Due to staff training, 1st Step Bikes, Howgate will be closed on Monday 15th June —We’ll be back open as usual from Tuesday 16th June, 9 am – 4 pm. If your bike is in need of a little TLC, pop in and see us — we’re always happy to help and offer very competitive prices (see list attached). And while the bikes are resting, the Food Pantry will still be open on Monday 15th June from 10 am – 1 pm, because community support never takes a day off.

08/06/2026

One last post to celebrate and thank our amazing volunteers!
Shaleen was nominated last week for the West Lothian Volunteer of the year award and here he is with Sally our Linlithgow Food Revolution Coordinator receiving his certificate!

Shaleen has been part of the 1st Step family for a number of years and made a huge contribution to many of our projects but particularly our Cafe, Linlithgow Food Revolution and the 1st Step Walking group.

05/06/2026

We need your help. Our stock of kids’ and adults’ bikes is running very low, so if you have an old or unused bike gathering dust, we’d love to give it a better job than decorating your shed. Donating it to 1st Step would make a real difference and help support our charity. 1st Step Development Ventures is a charity dedicated to providing safe and supportive environments for individuals affected by addiction and poor mental health, with a focus on recovery and community engagement. Our bike shop is based at Howgate Centre, Falkirk (next to Costa Coffee), and we are open Monday to Friday, 9am–4pm (closed for lunch from 12pm–1pm). We are also open on the first and last Saturdays of each month. Thank you so much for your support — every bike donated helps keep someone moving forward.

03/06/2026

Volunteer week 1st-7th June 2026. 🫶🏻

1st step Community cafe 🍴

💛 Behind every delicious lunch is a team of incredible volunteers. 💛

From preparing fresh meals and homemade favourites to serving with a smile, our volunteers are the heart of our Community Café.

Their time, kindness, and dedication help create more than just great meals—they create a welcoming space where people can connect, share stories, and enjoy each other’s company.

This summer, we’re celebrating the amazing people who make our café such a special place. Thank you to every volunteer who helps turn simple lunches into moments of friendship and community.

🥘 Good food. 👥 Great people. 🤝 Stronger community.

Our community cafe is open to anyone and everyone who is interested in good food and friendly company.

Tasty home-cooked lunch, teas, coffees. Suggested donation £1. Friendly group, chat, crafts, gardening and a variety of other activities.

Tuesdays, 12-2.30pm

Food is served between 12-1.30. Activities are between 1.30-2.30

Longcroft Hall, Philip Avenue, Linlithgow

03/06/2026

03/06/2026

It's Volunteer Week!

It was amazing to win the Highly Commended Green award for our phenomenal impact to local sustainability at the CVS Falkirk volunteering Awards!
We are proud of the difference our volunteers make!
1st Step work with over 100 volunteers each year who contributed over 10000 volunteer hours to our communities!
Between our 2 community food revolutions in Linlithgow and Falkirk hubs we support over 4000 people each month
Over the year we have saved over 62000 kilos of food that would have been wasted but was instead turned into meals for people across West Lothian and Falkirk.
Over the last year we have worked on more than 1200 bikes and donated/fixed for free over 250 bikes to people who would not have been able to afford bikes or repairs.

21/05/2026

1st Step Bikes, Howgate will be closed on Bank Holiday Monday 25th May. We will open as usual on Tuesday 26th May from 9 am - 4pm. We have lots of bikes in the shop just now, kids and adults, at very competitive prices so please come in and see us. We can also help with your bike maintenance requirements.

11/05/2026

Free fruit, veg, and bread? At 1st Step Food Pantry, you can top up on everyday essentials at low cost too — tinned and packet foods, cereal, tea/coffee, toiletries, pet food, and more. Find us in Howgate, Falkirk (opposite Costa Coffee). We’re open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10am–1pm. NO REFERRAL REQUIRED.

11/05/2026

DONATIONS NEEDED for Food Pantry in Howgate. We will be in TESCO, REDDING on Thursday 14th May 10 am - 2pm and would appreciate your support.