We have launched our annual festive appeal to boost our regions’ food banks – as well as doing our own bit to help.
We’re asking Ringlink members and supporters to donate food or money to local food banks through our network of offices.
At each of our offices – in Coupar Angus, Elgin, Oldmeldrum, Cupar and our head office in Laurencekirk – we will collect food donations which will be delivered to local food banks in the week before Christmas.
The links below help you with suggestions based on the grocery items that are most sought after and what help is particularly needed in your local community
A typical food parcel will include the following items: cereal, soup, pasta, tinned meat, fruit and vegetables, as well as tea, coffee and UHT milk. Food banks also provide essential non-food items like toiletries where they can and appreciate these items too.
Or you can make a cash donation directly to The Trussell Trust (through the same links) which supports a nationwide network of food banks.
At Ringlink, we made our own donation of £1,500 from the team from a hamper raffle at our 35th anniversary dinner last month. The cash is being distributed around to local food banks near all five of our offices, in addition to any further donations received from members.
Every eight seconds
The Trussell Trust has forecasted that food banks in their network will distribute more than a million emergency food parcels between December 2023 and February 2024 – the equivalent of providing a parcel every eight seconds this winter.
They recently revealed that 1.5million emergency food parcels were provided to people between April and September 2023 by food banks in the charity’s UK-wide network – an increase of 16% compared to the same period in 2022.
Rising hunger and hardship have devastating consequences for individuals and our communities, damage the nation’s health and hold back our economy. People in work, as well as people who cannot work, are increasingly being pushed into debt and forced to turn to a food bank to survive.
In the true spirit of Christmas, let’s all show a little kindness to those struggling this year.
