An Aberdeen charity has supported around 2,000 children with school uniforms in just two weeks with families feeling “exceptionally anxious”.
AberNecessities, which provides disadvantaged families with the essential and basic necessities in the north-east, has boosted staff to cope with rising demand.
First Minister Humza Yousaf paid a visit to the charity’s Dyce base earlier this week to see first hand the vital work it does to help families in the region.
Founder Danielle Flecher-Horn told the Press and Journal one mum told staff on Monday she “didn’t even have a piece of bread for her family to eat”.
The charity has partnered with supermarket giant Asda to set up free school uniform pop-up shops at 12 primary schools in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.
The pop-up shops will allow parents facing financial hardship to access the clothing their children require.
‘Really worrying’
Ms Flecher-Horn said: “In the last six weeks, we have supported about 2,000 children with school uniform as well as our day to day items which is a tremendous number.
“It’s really worrying. We are at the start of the summer holidays. How are things going to be by the end?
“We had a mum last night tell us that she didn’t even have a piece of bread for her family to eat last night.”
The charity’s founder was inspired to start the charity having witnessed children arriving at school without proper shoes and unkempt clothing.
She said families are “exceptionally anxious” at the moment with “emotions running high”.
“There’s a lot of tears in here as well. We’re getting some really horrible stories being told to us”, she added.
The charity founder added: “While I find it really hard to listen to, I feel extremely privileged that we’ve got such an amazing set up here.
“In a couple of hours we can pull things together so there’s not a child going to bed hungry and they’ve got the nappies and formula they need.
“I try and look at the positives as if you let yourself get too upset then you don’t actually make a positive change.”
Humza Yousaf visits charity
Mr Yousaf said the visit is “another demonstration of the damage the cost of living crisis is causing”.
He added: “Unfortunately, we’re now hearing that if there is to be a Labour government in 12-18 months, they will retain the two-child limit.
“Which in itself which will keep up to 15,000 children in Scotland in poverty which is just unforgivable.”
The two-child benefit stops parents from being able to claim for child tax credits or universal credit for any third or more child born after April 2017.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said his party is against the policy despite Sir Keir Starmer saying a government he leads would not scrap the policy.
Speaking on Monday, Mr Sarwar said: “Scottish Labour policy has not changed. We continue to oppose the two-child limit. We continue to believe that it exacerbates poverty, and we continue to believe that it needs to change.”
