Natalie Don MSP has praised the efforts of Renfrewshire Foodbank’s staff and volunteers in providing essential food and household items for hundreds of local people experiencing increased levels of poverty due to the recent Universal Credit cut and rises in energy prices.
The MSP for Renfrewshire North and West visited the foodbank’s depot at Westway Park, Renfrew where she was informed by manager, Crystal Clayton, and project lead, Alistair Reid, that 9,300 emergency food parcels were compiled and issued by the organisation 90 plus volunteers to local families in the last year
In addition to providing food for balanced, nutritious and culturally appropriate diets for people referred to attend the weekly distribution operation at Renfrew Baptist Church, 77 Paisley Road, PA4 8LH between 10am and 12noon on Thursdays, Renfrewshire Council’s Advice Works staff are always on hand to provide confidential and independent advice on money, debt and benefits issues.
The foodbank also signposts service users requiring advice about managing energy bills to Renfrewshire Citizens Advice Bureau and provides SIM cards, loaded with 20GB data and free calls and texts to provide six months of connectivity for people experiencing digital poverty and exclusion.
Crystal Clayton, Manager of Renfrewshire Foodbank, said: “The removal of the £20 Universal Credit uplift and the increase in energy prices have, unfortunately, but not surprisingly, resulted in many more people using our services as they are forced to choose between heating their homes or eating.
“I was pleased to speak with Natalie Don MSP to highlight how the foodbank is working with a range of local partner organisations to provide a more holistic approach to help reduce the devastating impacts of poverty experienced by everyone coming to our distribution centres.
“At the foodbank, we are trying to work ourselves out of a job but, sadly, it looks like our services will continue to be needed by many Renfrewshire residents for some time to come.”
Natalie Don MSP with Crystal Clayton and Alistair Reid at Renfrewshire Foodbank.
Natalie Don MSP said: “Although it is completely unacceptable that our fellow citizens are experiencing in-work poverty or horrendously low welfare incomes that they need support to access nutritious food, I am thankful that Renfrewshire Foodbank’s 90 plus volunteers have worked so hard to provide emergency food parcels for local people in the last year.
“It is good to see that the foodbank has a joined-up approach with other local organisations equipped to offer Renfrewshire residents crucial advice about managing debts, energy bills and ensuring they are fully informed about benefits they may be eligible to receive.
“I was also pleased to be advised that the foodbank’s pilot mobile service ensuring that people in Bridge of Weir can more easily and discretely use their services is proving to be a success and will hopefully be rolled out in other Renfrewshire villages in due course. ”
Although the foodbank is well stocked for service users over the winter period, donations of toiletries, laundry detergent, bags for life, long life milk, diluting juice, jam and non-alcoholic sweet treats will be gratefully received at its depot in Westway, Porterfield Road, Renfrew PA4 8DG between 9.30am-11.45 am on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
For more information, visit renfrewshire.foodbank.org.uk or email: info@renfrewshire.foodbank.org.uk.