Poverty pain
The number of people who needed help from the Loaves and Fishes food bank increased at Christmas. News reporter Nicola Findlay met with the charity’s chairman Denis Curran MBE who insists the poverty problem isn’t getting better...
Campaigner Denis Curran MBE has revealed that demand rocketed 50 per cent at his East Kilbride food bank charity over the festive period.
The 75-year-old grandad handed out 600 food parcels to those in need – up from 400 in 2016.
A prominent anti-poverty campaigner has revealed that there was a staggering 50 per cent increase in the number of food parcels an East Kilbride food bank handed out at Christmas.
And with benefit sanctions continuing to hit those already struggling, Loaves and Fishes chairman Denis Curran MBE fears there is no end in sight to the misery.
The bleak forecast comes as Denis, 75, told the News he and wife Cathy had one of their busiest festive periods ever.
In 2016, 400 parcels were given out to those struggling to get by but that number increased to 600 for the festive season just gone.
Denis and Cathy recently announced they would forego a well-earned retirement for now as they were unable to leave behind those they help.
And resources were so stretched by ever-increasing demand that for the first time they were unable to hand parents a gift voucher for each child – with one per household instead.
“We were busier than we have ever been,” an emotional Denis told the News at his home in Calderwood.
“Sadly, the number of parcels we hand out is growing every year but this year was just mayhem.
“It just breaks your heart to see so many families struggling to provide the basics for their children.
“How can families even think about presents when they can’t even put food on the table?
“And how do you tell a child Santa isn’t coming?
“Although we managed to give each child a toy, for the first time we were unable to give parents a voucher for each child – there was just simply too much demand.”
Denis said he was astounded by the generosity of folk in East Kilbride and Avondale and lays the blame for the desperation of hundreds of families squarely at “inhumane” benefit changes with the introduction of the controversial Universal Credit system.
“The generosity of people has been overwhelming and never ceases to amaze me,” he went on.
“But what happens if that’s not always the case?
“The vast majority of families we see find themselves depending on food banks due to Universal Credit and sanctions – most of which are found to be unjust when they are appealed – or the working poor on low wages or zero hour contracts.”
Denis believes the sweeping changes to the benefits system since 2010 are at the heart of the problem.
He continued: “I can honestly say things are as bad as they have ever been.
“There have been numerous changes from various governments to benefits over the last 30 years but the latest changes are nothing short of inhumane. Folk having absolutely nothing for four, five, six weeks at a time.
“Even when rationing was still in place following the Second World War, folk still could put their hands in their pockets and have money to buy the basics.
“Being able to feed yourself and your children is a basic human right and so many folk now don’t even have the money to do that – it’s an appalling state of affairs.
“Children are going to bed at night cold and hungry and going to school in the morning hungry – how can that ever be right?”
Denis believes political parties of all hues need to do more to end the scandal of people needing to rely on food banks to feed themselves and their families.
He added: “When I began working with Loaves and Fishes more than 25 years ago we dealt with homelessness, people living on the streets.
“We never thought we would be in the situation we are in now where folk had to choose between paying their rent, feeding their kids or heating their homes.
“And sadly the priority of every government, no matter what party, when they come into power, is to give themselves a pay rise.
“If politicians really and truly wanted to end the need for food banks they would put aside their differences to work together to put a stop to this.”
Children are going to school in the morning hungry...