We are fighting cost of living and a job isn't enough anymore

Renfrewshire Foodbank are seeing more employed people asking for help as their wages don’t match inflation.

Crystal Clayton, senior manager, has predicted that the pantry will have fed 10k people by the end of the year while donations are rapidly slowing down.

Annis Byrne, a volunteer at Renfrewshire Foodbank pictured packing food into crates in their warehouse in Renfrew (Image: Colin Mearns)

The 32-year-old told the Glasgow Times: “People use the food bank as a very last resort. It isn't a hand out, people are really finding things hard.

“It is disgraceful and upsetting that we are experiencing food poverty at these levels in 2023, things should be getting better but they are worse.

“There's all sorts of people that come in. We have people with zero hour contracts, on benefits and low incomes.

“It isn’t enough to work full time anymore if your wage isn’t going up with inflation.

“More people are relying on us but we have seen a massive drop in donations, people don’t always have extra money to help.”

Renfrewshire Foodbank supplied a list of wanted donations (Image: Newsquest)

We previously reported how the Glasgow Times will be launching our vital Bank on Us campaign for the fifth year.

As part of the festive campaign, we are encouraging our readers to get involved in a food drive which will help places like Renfrewshire Foodbank.

Paper bags will be inserted into every copy of the Glasgow Times from today (Wednesday, November 15).

Readers who are able to donate are being asked to fill the bags with food items and hand them into one of our partner food banks.

This year, our Christmas campaign is more important than ever due to the cost-of-living crisis with thousands of families struggling to heat their homes and put food on the table.

As well as the food drive, the Glasgow Times will be raising money for our Bank on Us toy drive via GoFundMe.

All proceeds will be used to purchase toys which will be distributed to charities around the city to be handed out to parents and put under the tree.

The Glasgow Times will be launching our vital Bank on Us campaign for the fifth year. (Image: Sourced)

Stacey Mullen, editor of the Glasgow Times, said: "It is a huge milestone for us that we have been doing this campaign for five years and everyone who works for the Glasgow Times is incredibly proud of it.

"Times are tough, families are facing so much hardship amid the cost of living crisis, and if we can all take a moment to spare a thought for them and give something back, no matter how small, it will make a huge difference.”

The Bank on Us 2023 campaign is proudly sponsored by Arnold Clark, Stagecoach, Allied Vehicles, Spar Scotland, Storage Vault and StepChange.

Renfrewshire Food Bank

Westway, Porterfield Road, PA4 8DJ - opening hours: Monday to Friday, 9.30am-12pm

*opening times are correct at the time of writing but may be subject to change