Drumchapel Food Bank has empty shelves as Christmas approaches

Drumchapel Food Bank are 'gearing up' for a demanding winter as they face empty shelves and fewer donations.

Liz Atkinson, foodbank manager, has shared how the running of the service has become increasingly intense as they aim to give families more than essentials but a festive treat too.

Liz says her team is struggling to fill their shelves (Image: Colin Mearns) Liz said: "We fed 1400 people last month. It's creeping up as our numbers increase drastically over the winter months and especially before Christmas because people are struggling.

"People are already starting to worry about how they're going to cope.

"Normally we do vouchers for Farmfoods for Christmas so families can purchase groceries. This year we just can't afford to do it.

"Although we are based in Drumchapel, we're the only food bank that opens five days a week (Monday-Friday) so this means we do get people coming from all over and including Clydebank.

"Our shelves are just empty."

Drumchapel Food Bank is open five days a week (Image: Colin Mearns) The food bank is independently run and does not receive grant funding from local or national government. Instead, they rely on generosity from local residents and businesses.

But it is proving tough as Liz showed us the empty shelves that she and several other volunteers are constantly working to fill.

Liz added: "When we get monetary donations we like to buy fresh foods because a lot of what's donated is tinned food.

"People need a variety in their diet. They need fruit. They need vegetables. They need nutrition. They need personal hygiene products. They need toothpaste. They need deodorant.

"Just because you can't afford to feed and clothe yourself doesn't mean that all you should get is a tin of beans. It's about people's dignity.

"It’s just a sad fact that we could all face it. You could be made redundant and have a mortgage to pay or we have had people whose business is going down. They've lost their house, they've lost their car, they've lost their family."

(Image: Colin Mearns) Liz says people deserve more than a tin of beans this Christmas (Image: Colin Mearns) Now Drumchapel Food Bank has joined our Bank on Us 2024 appeal to help feed people struggling in the city as demand grows.

Every edition of the Glasgow Times on Friday, November 22, will feature a paper bag which can be filled up with food items and donated to your local food bank such as Drumchapel. 

By speaking to food bank volunteers on the front lines of the cost-of-living crisis we hope to share why donations are so important.

Liz added: "What we're asking for this year is for people to donate a Christmas treat so that every client can receive a bag, especially families.

"This can be biscuits, chocolates, selection boxes, mince pies so that people can try and cope over the Christmas period.

"People are struggling and they're getting worried because of the time of year that's coming up.

"Remember, if you got a family, if you've got kids at school, everybody's talking about Christmas.

"All the kids are saying 'I've asked for this, and I've asked for that'. And you get people whose parents are just looking at each other thinking ‘What can we do?’"

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

This year we want to support families at Christmas in the hope that vulnerable children will get to open a present on December 25.

We are hoping for our readers, nurseries, schools, and businesses to get behind the campaign by donating.

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

Stacey Mullen, editor of the Glasgow Times, said: "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 greatest thing about editing this newspaper is knowing that our readers all look out for each other and doing this campaign will no doubt prove that.

“So thank you from the bottom of our hearts for helping us with Bank on Us.”

You can donate towards our toy bank by clicking HERE. 

The Bank on Us 2024 campaign is proudly sponsored by Allied Vehicles, Arnold Clark, Smyths Toys Superstores, SPAR Scotland, Stagecoach, StepChange, Storage Vault and Wise Group.

We will be speaking with our sponsors over the coming weeks, as well as other food banks.