A food bank has revealed it has served almost 4000 people over the last six months.

Rutherglen and Cambuslang Foodbank are currently preparing for what they expect to be a busy festive period.

They have seen an increase in the number of people using their service over the last couple of years due to the cost-of-living crisis.

Duty manager Beth Brady, left, Helen Joyce in the storeroom(Image: Robert Perry) Heather Buchan, convener of the charity, opened up on the important role the food bank plays in the community.

She said: "We fall under the Trussell Trust umbrella and everybody who comes here is from a referral agency.

"When people come along we talk to them about anything they are worried about to try and provide support.

"If someone is experiencing food poverty, then there is a chance they are facing other struggles also.

"We have had 3700 people come to the food bank and use our service between April and November of this year."

Eileen Hamill and Andrew Ferguson prepare parcels (Image: Robert Perry) The food bank has three centres, with bases in Rutherglen, Whitlawburn and Cambuslang.

Locations and opening times

  • Romanian Pentecostal Church Halls, 2 Cadzow Drive, Cambuslang, G72 8ND, Opening times: Friday, 12.30-2.30pm 
  • Rutherglen Community Baptist Church, Reuther Avenue, corner of Stonelaw Road and Greenhill Road, G73 2SL, Opening times: Monday and Thursday, 12.30-2.30pm 
  • Whitlawburn Community Resource Centre, 57 Belmont Road, Cambuslang, G72 8PG, Opening times: Tuesday, 5.45-7.45pm 

The charity is currently run by volunteers, with a vacancy available for a paid position.

Heather also opened up on the food bank's current situation in terms of donations.

She continued: "In terms of donations, they have reduced from four or five years ago but at the minute we are thankfully not struggling to meet the demand.

"The charity receives regular donations from supermarkets and hosts a food drive four times a year.

"We are also lucky to get a lot of support from local schools, churches and businesses.

"Financial donations are also welcome and the local community are so generous to us."

Staff prepare for clients to arrive (Image: Robert Perry) Now Rutherglen and Cambuslang Foodbank 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.

(Image: Newsquest) 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. 

Heather added: "We are short of things like tinned goods such as meat, vegetables, and fruit as well as long-life milk, sugar, and diluting juice.

"We accept toiletries as well which you can never have enough of.

"We also keep stock of blankets, fleeces, jackets and other items like that."

Festive opening times

Rutherglen:

  • Monday, December 23 - 12.30pm to 2.30pm
  • Thursday, December 26 - Closed
  • Monday, December 30 - 12.30pm to 2.30pm
  • Thursday, January 2 - Closed

Whitlawburn:

  • Tuesday, December 24 - 5.45pm to 7.45pm
  • Tuesday, December 31 - 5.45pm to 7.45pm

Cambuslang:

  • Friday, December 27 - 12.30pm to 2.30pm
  • Friday, January 3 - 12.30pm to 2.30pm

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.