Glasgow residents gather to celebrate official opening of Garnethill food pantry

Garnethill residents came together at the Multicultural Centre as the Multicultural Community Food Hub was officially opened in a ribbon-cutting ceremony with a performance from the Hung Fut Lion Dancers.

The food pantry, which began operating in mid-February, currently helps around 60 people a week and has so far given out around five tonnes of food.

Users of the food hub can choose 20 items for the cost of £1.50 if they are asylum seekers, £2.50 if they are on Universal Credit, or a £5 solidarity fee if they are employed.

Florence Dioka, development manager at Central and West Integration Network, said they decided to set up a food hub, as opposed to giving out food parcels, as it offers more "dignity" for service users.

She said: "People are really happy using it, they are surprised by how much they can get.

"In a food hub we have a variety of things, we have fresh fruit, vegetables, fish, meat and we have cultural food, such as plantain or okra."

Multicultural Community Food Hub

Lord provost Philip Braat, who cut the ribbon with three-year-old Morven Coghill, said: "I think after the last two years we’ve all had some very tough times and one of the keys things has been food injustice.

"That has been highlighted due to the pandemic and that’s why a food hub like this here in the Garnethill Multicultural Community Centre is so critical because it provides foods to those who are without.

"Having the opening of the food hub coincide with a cultural show was a really nice touch to bring the community out together, especially after a long period of isolation."

Philip Braat and Morven Coghill

The Multicultural Community Food Hub is open every Friday from 1.30pm to 4.30pm.