Bank on Us: 'Glasgow pensioners will die if they don’t ask for help'

Elderly people facing poverty and hunger are being urged to reach out for support before Christmas.

Glasgow South West Foodbank has seen an influx in elderly people using their service for the first time while battling the axe of winter fuel payments.

Manager Claire McCunnie fears many more may be struggling and need their services, but feel too proud to reach out.

Claire McCunnie, Glasgow South West foodbank manager. (Image: Colin Mearns)

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She said: “I am genuinely really worried for winter this year, we are going to have pensioners die because they are too proud to ask for help.

“I have a real fear that people will be lost when we could have helped them if they came to see us.

“There is no shame in coming to us, everyone is struggling with the cost of living crisis.

“Before people might have had a spare tin to donate but now they need it themselves.

“We are really down on donations so if anyone can help it makes a big difference, it all adds up so if anyone can contribute we would really appreciate it.”

Glasgow South West foodbank volunteer Mags Loughran, at left, sorting vegetables at the foodbank at Priesthill Community Hall. At right sorting tins of food is Claire McCunnie, Glasgow South West foodbank manager. (Image: Colin Mearns)

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Previously, the Labour UK Government announced it was scrapping winter fuel payments for pensioners unless they get Pension Credit.

In Scotland the benefit is devolved but the Scottish Government said the resulting cut in their budget of £160m means it has no option but to follow the decision.

The cut will remove around £15m from pensioners in Glasgow this winter as almost 60,000 of the most vulnerable people miss out.

Now the Glasgow South West Foodbank has joined our Bank on Us appeal to help feed people struggling in the city as demand grows.

It is the sixth year in a row the campaign is running to help food banks across the city.

Glasgow South West Foodbank has joined our Bank on Us appeal (Image: Sourced)

We featured paper bags in every edition of the Glasgow Times on Friday, November 22, to encourage readers to fill them up and donate items to food banks.

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

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

The campaign hopes to deliver thousands of gifts to the city's most vulnerable children this Christmas.

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

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.

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.