Mhairi: Foodbanks need your help more than ever right now
MP calls on communities to dig deep over festive period
Mhairi Black MP has claimed Renfrewshire Foodbank is more important than ever as her office takes on four Universal Credit cases a day.
The SNP MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire South supported volunteers as they collected food at Tesco in Seedhill on Friday and said the service is a “lifeline” for local people who are “really starting to struggle”.
The demand on the foodbank is expected to rise by 52 per cent within a year, following the rollout of full Universal Credit in September.
Sp e a k i n g about the unpredictability of the welfare reform, Mhairi urged those who have money to spare to help out and donate to the foodbank.
She said: “Now more than ever, it’s incredibly important.
“I always find foodbank events are bittersweet because on one side you’ve got all this great community effort and people really going into their own pockets to help those less well off but, at the same time, they shouldn’t have to.
“Given how unpredictable the future is, foodbanks are a lifeline
As well as money, Renfrewshire Foodbank also needs the following:
Christmas treats such as biscuits, tinned sweets, crisps and nibbles.
Toiletries including: toilet paper, shampoo, shaving gel and razors, shower gel, soap, toothpaste and deodorant.
It would be great for the team to also get some donations of longlife juice, tinned tomatoes, tinned fruit, tinned potatoes and tinned fish.
You can donate at the Renfrewshire Foodbank donation centre at Unit 12, Abercorn Industrial Estate, 80 Abercorn Street, Paisley. for so many people and especially since the rollout of Universal Credit as it has hit Renfrewshire incredibly.
“People are really starting to struggle. We’re now getting three and four Universal Credit cases a day.
“Most of which people are being penalised through no fault of their own whatsoever.
“It’s just because the system isn’t working, it was not ready to be rolled out.
“That’s where we’re seeing things like foodbank usage starting to rise.
It is open on Mondays and Fridays from 10am to noon and Thursdays from 5pm to 7pm.
Drop boxes are available at Asda Linwood, Morrisons Johnstone, Tescos in Renfrew and Paisley, and the Co-ops in Neilston Road, Bridge of Weir, Houston, Kilbarchan and Bishopton.
You can also drop food donations off at the Paisley Daily Express office inside Paisley YMCA at 39 High Street, on the corner of High Street and New Street.
Cash donations can be made securely online at give.net/foodbankchristmas.
These can also be made by printing a form “If you can spare a couple of pounds or even 50p to buy a tin of food, that could do someone the absolute world of good. “For such a small effort for so many people, it’d be great because it’s such a lifeline for so many others.” Renfrewshire Foodbank held collections at Tesco supermarkets in Paisley, Renfrew and Linwood on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Foodbank manager Elizabeth Alexander said the events were essential in topping
from renfrewshire.foodbank.org.uk/give-help/ donate-money and posting the completed version to Renfrewshire Foodbank, Westway, Porterfield Road, Renfrew, PA4 8DJ.
Cheques should be made payable to Renfrewshire Foodbank.
Donations of Christmas goodies must be made before Friday, December 7.
Other items can be handed in until Monday, December 17.
If you are running behind schedule, the Abercorn Unit will accept items up to Friday, December 21. up their supplies for the winter period.
She said: “Last year when we did these three days at three stores, we took in about 8.5 tons of food and that helps us get through the winter.
“That along with the regular donors. Not only that but we submit weights and Tesco top up the food with money, a 20 per cent top up which comes to the foodbank to be used as required.
“So, it’s really important because it gives us the food that we need for people who need it.”
During 2017/18, the foodbank provided emergency food for 8,600 people – of which around 2,400 were children.