In Your Shoes - Ann Mclaughlan

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Ann is the Scotland Partnership Co-ordinator for The Trussell Trust which offers support to 54 Foodbanks across Scotland. Ann’s role is to raise funds for The Trussell Trust, through Corporate Partnerships as well as supporting the long term sustainability of the foodbanks, enabling them to raise their own funds.

The use of foodbanks in Scotland is growing at a faster rate than across the UK as a whole, with more and more individuals, families and the elderly having no other choice but to rely on them for one of the most basic needs, food. The friendly staff and volunteers who run the foodbanks do a fantastic job of everyone who walks through their doors, making the experience as least intimidating as possible.

Foodbank Visit and Set up at the Overgate Centre Dundee

An important part of my job is to visit foodbanks. This gives me a chance to see the relief that foodbanks are offering to the local communities they serve. Every foodbank has its own individual needs and visiting them allows me to see how I can support them. A day like today is no different to any other; I start the day by visiting two foodbanks, both in Glasgow. In the last six months alone, foodbanks in Glasgow handed out emergency food supplies to a staggering 16,970 people, 6,232 of those went to children. Many of the foodbanks we support offer more than food. Some offer benefits and housing advice to those who require it.

After visiting two Glasgow foodbanks I travelled to Dundee, the Overgate Shopping Centre had dedicated the whole of October to ‘Foodbank Month’ and were running various activities as well as a food drive to raise awareness.

First Day at Overgate Centre for Foodbank Month

After setting up an information stand the evening before with my colleagues, who had travelled up from The Trussell Trust HQ in Salisbury, we arrived at the centre for 9am. Soon after arriving we were greeted by our first donation, a bag full of food donations. The donation was given to us by a very kind gentleman who had, in the past fallen on hard times. He wanted to give something back. After sleeping on the streets for over three years and living on tins of soup, his luck had changed and he was now able to help others.

Our first day in the Centre was a huge success fielding volunteer enquiries, donations of food and money. It was also great to hear from a man who had been helped by one of our foodbanks. He told us that if foodbanks did not exist he would probably not have survived.

Last Day of an amazing Weekend

We arrived at the Overgate Centre ready for another busy day. The day was filled with interest from customers and supporters alike, asking for information about foodbanks and The Trussell Trust as a whole. It was a quieter day today, mainly due to the wet weather. This however did not dampen our spirits. We still managed to speak to supporters and the general public about our work, spreading awareness of food poverty in Scotland.

We want to pass on our sincere thanks to all Staff and Customers at the Overgate Shopping Centre in Dundee, particularly to the Management Team, Morag, Operations Manager and Karen, Operations Assistant for all their support with this Campaign. We managed to raise a staggering £3,373.55 worth of food and cash donations. A huge well done to everyone involved and we look forward to next year.

Help The Trussell Trust make more of a difference this Christmas.

 http://www.trusselltrust.org/christmas