Foodbank credits

We would like to respond to the letters in your paper on April 22 and the clarification on April 29, submitted by Fulton H Hunter re: denial of foodbank ticket.

We would categorically deny the assertion cast by Fulton H Hunter that he had been refused a food ticket. I am very disappointed that Mr Hunter though it necessary to contact The Reformer to express this false allegation.

The procedure the Bureau follows with regards to allocation of food vouchers is that an adviser will clarify whether the client meets the criteria with regards to being referred to the local food banks. This means finding out why the client is in need of a foodbank voucher, ie benefit sanctions, debt and many other factors that contribute to issuing a voucher.

The advisor will then speak to the session support worker or the manager who will write out the voucher giving the client’s details. A client who attends the Bureau late on a Friday afternoon may be asked to come back on the Monday morning to collect the food voucher as a precaution as the food bank on a Friday afternoon closes at 2.30pm, rather than them losing the voucher over the weekend.

It takes an incredible amount of courage for a client to attend our facility to request help, whether it be for generalist advice, budgeting or just to have reassurance on a problem, we would never make the client feel that they could not come to us, or feel unwelcomed for whatever reason.

We have never refused anyone in need of a foodbank voucher who attends our Bureau or any of our Outreaches facilities.

In the last year the Bureau have issued 86 food vouchers between the Bureau and the Outreaches, to those in receipt of benefit sanctions as well as those suffering as a result of“In work poverty”. Sharon Hampson, Bureau Manager, Rutherglen and Cambuslang CAB.