North Ayrshire Foodbank organiser urges locals to donate

Providing food to thousands of people in the area, North Ayrshire Foodbank are in need of donations after seeing more and more people come to them for help.

With the cost-of-living crisis having long term affects for many people, organiser Craig Crossthwaite thanked the donors who continue contributing to the vital service - and appealed to people to keep on giving what they can.

And Craig is hoping that readers of the Herald will give the food bank an extra helping hand through a special campaign we are launching this week.

In two weeks' time, on Wednesday, April 24, every edition of the Herald sold across the area will have a free paper bag inside.

We want readers to take that bag to their local shop and fill it, or fill as much of it as you can afford, with items suitable for the food bank.

You can then hand your bag and its contents in to the Herald's office in Princes Street in Ardrossan, which is open from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, or take them straight to the food bank's base at the Church of the Nazarene in the town's Glasgow Street.

And Craig says the support of the Herald's readers can't come soon enough.

"Demand has gone up," he said. "There’s no doubt about it. The cost-of-living crisis and energy crisis is still affecting people.

“While the energy crisis is easing, at its height people got into a lot of debt, which is ongoing.

“Every tin donated is a lifeline to somebody asking for assistance. Each and every donation is crucial, and a blessing to somebody.

“We still manage through the kindness and generosity of our donors each week.

“But we’re going down in donations, and the Christmas donations are coming to an end."

Craig has worked with the North Ayrshire Foodbank since it began in 2012, and says that the 12 years since then have shown a constant increase in demand.

The Covid pandemic, unsurprisingly, caused a huge spike in the number of people coming to the food bank for help.

And after the pandemic eased and life began to return to something approaching normality, the cost-of-living crisis struck, and is still holding many in its grip today.

“We originally thought we’d help 300-400 households, but we were off even at the start," Craig admitted.

“The number climbed to 9,000 households before the pandemic.

“The food we got in increased from 50 tonnes to 110 tonnes during lockdown.”

Glasgow-based fencing company Colourfence has generously decided to sponsor the food bank's new campaign with the Herald, through Paisley branch owner Ian McConnachie, whose partner is originally from the Three Towns.

Craig was delighted to hear that the food bank had received sponsorship – especially during a time when donations are seeing a dip.

He added: “We deeply appreciate the corporate help. It’s nice to know there are people in the business world who share our concerns and will take action.”

North Ayrshire Foodbank is located at the Church of the Nazarene in Glasgow Street and is open Mondays and Tuesdays from 9am until 2pm, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10am until 2pm, and Fridays from 10am to 2pm and then again from 6pm to 8pm.

Contact 01294 601312 or email info@northayrshire.foodbank.org.uk.

When you call or email, a food bank team member will talk you through your situation and put you in touch with a relevant local agency who can help.

They'll discuss your situation with you and supply you with a voucher which you can then take to the food bank and exchange for a food parcel containing three days of nutritionally balanced, non-perishable food.

More information about the North Ayrshire Foodbank is available at www.northayrshire.foodbank.org.uk.