Thousands Seek Help From Fife Foodbank

Nearly 3,500 people in one of the poorest parts of the Kingdom needed help from a foodbank this year.

The number helped by the Glenrothes Foodbank has risen by almost a third on 2014. Most users have a job, but aren't earning enough money to feed themselves or their families. 

Zero hours contracts used by Fife-based companies like Amazon have been identified as one cause of food poverty.

A comparison between foodbank demand in December 2013 and December 2014 highlights a 125% increase across the Kingdom. Trussell Trust foodbanks alone in Scotland had 14,159 referrals in December 2014 - including 1250 in Fife.

Fife has been identified by think-tank The Fabian Society as having one of the highest incidences of household food insecurity in the UK. 

Speaking to Kingdom FM News, Jilly Guild, manager of the Glenrothes Foodbank, says the festive period in particular is a busy time for them:

'Beyond a lack of food'

Every day, a team of volunteers at the Glenrothes Foodbank receives, sorts and stacks fresh and packaged food, as well as toiletries, washing detergent, toilet roll and nappies.

Donations of clothes and toys are also stacking up at their large new building on the Saltire Centre industrial estate.

Visitors range from students, to young mothers, to the elderly. They're welcomed into a cozy reception area by front-of-house volunteers who assess their needs and cater for them.

Often, problems go beyond a lack of food - many people need help with benefits, or with finding legal or employment help. Low income is among the biggest causes of foodbank use in Fife, followed by benefit delays and changes, including sanctions.

Centre bosses say they hope to develop their site to include facilities like a cafe and meeting rooms to host organisations like Citizens Advice Scotland.

Meanwhile, donations continue to arrive by the vanload, from supermarkets, businesses and kind-hearted individuals.

All of it, volunteers say, makes a difference to someone in Fife who is at their wits end.

See behind the scenes of the Glenrothes Foodbank here.