Digital network lines up a boost for local food banks

Openreach engineers in Paisley have joined forces to support anti-poverty charity the Trussell Trust, which supports a network of food banks across the UK.

During a day of action, volunteers from the digital network business collected more than 15,700 essential goods for around 50 UK food banks.

Hundreds of priority items on the Trust’s shopping list, like cereal, soup, tinned and dried foods, biscuits, drinks and toiletries, were handed in at the Paisley exchange collection point and dropped off at the Renfrewshire food bank.

Greg Fleming, engineering area manager for the West of Scotland, said: “Openreach has been focusing on wellbeing in our workforce during June. We know giving to others is one of the best ways we can do this, and we decided to run a special volunteering day in support of the Trussell Trust.

“There’s been a large increase in demand for food banks during the pandemic, with food banks within the Trussell Trust network providing a record 2.5 million emergency food parcels. We’ve arranged a drive across the UK to help provide emergency food for the 14 million people living in poverty.

“Our people have really got behind it, donating 63 shopping bagfuls across the West of Scotland. We’re very pleased to play a small part in helping the Trussell Trust with the vital work they do to make sure no-one in the west of Scotland goes hungry.”

The Trussell Trust supports a network of more than 1,300 food banks across the UK, providing emergency food and support to people locked in poverty, while campaigning for change to end the need for food banks.

It aims to provide a minimum of three days’ nutritionally-balanced emergency food to people who have been referred in crisis, as well as support to help people resolve the crises they face.