The Trussel Trust opened its second food bank in Aberdeen yesterday as new figures from the poverty charity showed more than 2,500 people in the city had relied on emergency handouts in the last financial year.
The new service, opened in a partnership with local charity TLC, will operate in a former squash court at Citrus House on the East Tullos industrial estate between 1-4pm on Thursdays.
TLC operates another food bank at Inchgarth community centre in Garthdee and was told of the need for another in the south of the city.
Jim Robertson, Scotland development officer, for the Trussel Trust said: “Aberdeen has seen an increase of around 27% year-on-year in food bank usage.
“In the last financial year up to the end of March we provided emergency food assistance to 2,617 people in the city – 900 who were children.
“The three main reasons people use food banks are benefit delays, benefit changes and low incomes.”
Rick Brooks, chairman of TLC and minister at the City of Joy church, said: “For me it is obviously disappointing that food bank usage has risen but it’s also encouraging to see that the city has really taken to the challenge.
“The community spirit and the amounts that people are donating is fantastic.”