Campaigners have taken to the streets to demand action to ease the cost-of-living crisis for families.
Local community groups, trade unions and individuals in Aberdeen joined forces on Saturday to take part in the national Enough is Enough demonstration.
Meanwhile, residents gathered in Elgin to hold an independent protest.
Thousands of families across the country have been left struggling due to rising energy and food prices, forcing many to choose between heating or eating.
The protests were held to coincide with the date of energy bills are expected to soar by up to £2,500 for families.
‘People shouldn’t be having to choose between eating or heating’
Aberdonians of all ages turned out in solidarity as they campaigned for a proper standard of living for all.
The two-hour demonstration – organised by Aberdeen Trades Union Council (TUC) and Grampian Peoples Assembly – took place outside Marischal Collage on Broad Street.
Tommy Campbell, chairman of Aberdeen and District branch of the Retired Members Union, was one of the organisers behind the event.
He said the turnout was a “representation of the true heart of gold of the people of Aberdeen in showing their concern for others.”
“People shouldn’t be having to, come the winter time, choose between eating or heating,” he said.
“This is a campaign to fight back and get this matter sorted. What we want is affordable energy and we want people to have proper increases in their pay, pensions and other benefits.”
Mr Campbell, one of the founding members of the Grampian Peoples Assembly and a retired delegate of Aberdeen TUC said the government must get their priorities straight to tackle this growing crisis.
He said they will fight until everyone has a standard of living they can be proud of.
He added: “We are going to have to fight the government and they need to get their priorities right. Instead of making the rich richer, they need to distribute that wealth to make sure that those who are poor are no longer poor and that we all have got a proper standard of living that we should be proud of.”
Open the doors to the public this winter
Mr Campbell also urged Aberdeen City Council to open the doors to all their premises this winter to help provide a place of shelter, warmth and comfort for the public.
He says by doing so they will help to prevent social isolation.
Mr Campbell said: “We need to lobby the local council that they need to open up all their buildings in the winter time in the communities so that citizens of Aberdeen, if they want, can come into public buildings to meet other people and to feel they are no longer isolated.
“They will be free from worrying about keeping the heating on in their homes.”
Calling for immediate government action
Crowds also gathered in Elgin on Saturday for a similar demonstration – independent of the Enough is Enough movement.
Campaigners turned out to Elgin Plainstones to show their support with several taking to the stage to share their experiences.
Among those speaking out was a local teacher, an NHS carer and a mother struggling to raise her children whilst paying the household bills.
Scottish Conservative leader, Douglas Ross, and fellow MSP Richard Lochhead, were among the crowds, listening to concerns of local people.
David Blair, a local tree surgeon, organised the protest.
He said it was empowering to see so many people put their reservations aside and lend their voices to the campaign.
“It went really well,” he said.
“There were some really powerful speeches. It was empowering for us as a community.
“Moray folk tend to be quite reserved. There are traditions here that come out of farming, fishing and military families and they are not people that are prone to large demonstrations or large public displays of any type of emotion or feeling.
“Just building that solidarity and letting people know that it is OK to talk about this, is quite important.”
Reducing inequality across Scotland
Mr Blair said the country is facing what he calls an “inequality crisis,” leaving people from all backgrounds out in the cold.
He says the government needs to make structural change to help tackle this problem head on.
He added: “We want action from both governments. We are calling it a cost-of-living crisis when really it is an equality crisis and there needs to be government action.
“Inequality has increased in the last year massively but really it has been going on since the banking crash of 2008. Foodbanks have grown and inequality is growing.
“We certainly hope that they will use their respected devolved and reserved powers in order to tackle the urgent problem but also make some structural changes and reduce inequality.”
Conversation