Aberdeenshire North Foodbank has launched a new campaign to end food hunger in the area as part of this year’s Challenge Poverty Week.
The charity, which is part of the Trussell Trust network of foodbanks and opened in 2013, has launched a drive to increase donations, get to people before there is a need for them to use food banks, and examine reasons about why people are relying on them.
During a series of open days in Inverurie, Fraserburgh and Peterhead, they welcomed local members of the community to show how they can support the service, as well as access help should they need it.
As well as this, they discussed volunteering opportunities, how to give donations and food parcels, and their work to address the reasons behind food poverty, as their End Hunger in Aberdeenshire campaign got into full swing.
‘We don’t believe we should be here’
Aberdeenshire North Foodbank‘s community participation and campaigns lead, Shona Singer, revealed that the organisation is looking to build a “network of supporters”, saying that their donations are down but the amount of food parcels heading out the door is going up.
Mrs Singer said they launched the campaign as they believe that food banks “should not exist”, adding: “We know we provide an emergency service and it’s a vital service, but we don’t believe we should be here.”
The campaign aims to:
- Get to people before there is the need for them to use a food bank.
- Work with foodbank users to build forums to find out why they are using them.
- Asking users if there are issues that they can help them with before the situation develops further.
- Drive up food donations to ensure that they can exist while still needed.
Appealing for more volunteers, Mrs Singer said: “We are short of volunteers. We had regular volunteers and then Covid happened, and we opened up two new centres, people are coming back, but it’s not as quick as we would like it.
“People can look on our website and see all of our vacancies there, but we’re always in need of as many volunteers as we can get.”
At the open day at the Peterhead branch, which is located in the town’s Skelton Street, staff from a number of organisations attended, including from Aberdeenshire Council, Citizens Advice and Social Security Scotland.
Two of the town’s councillors, Alan Buchan and Leeann McWhinnie were also in attendance, with both bringing donations to the centre.
About 5,500 food parcels handed out since April
Due to the ongoing cost of living crisis, the foodbank has been extra busy, with 5,500 parcels being given out by the charity since April from across its foodbanks in Ellon, Fraserburgh, Huntly, Inverurie and Peterhead.
Aberdeenshire North Foodbank chief officer, Debbie Rennie, revealed that last month alone, approximately 280 people received food parcels in Peterhead, with the number reaching 850 across the region, which covers:
- Banff
- Buchan
- Formartine
- Garioch
- Marr (Huntly, Strathbogie and Howe of Alford only)
Mrs Rennie says these figures “give a sense of how busy we really are”.
When asked what her message to the government would be, she added: “My advice to the government would be that everyone should have enough money in their pocket to be able to afford food.”
The Press and Journal is working to support communities across the north-east and north of Scotland through its Big Food Appeal.
We want to help break down the stigma around foodbanks, and make it clear who can use them – the simple answer is, anyone who needs one.
We are also signposting people to their nearest foodbanks, and the various help that is available during the holidays.
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