Big Lottery Fund to invest in network of Scotland food banks
17 Apr 2014 03:31 PM
Plans to develop the network of food banks
across Scotland have been given a boost of £944,708 from the Big Lottery
Fund. The news came on the same day (16 APRIL) as the UK wide charity, The
Trussell Trust, releases new figures confirming that 71,428 Scots relied on
food banks to feed themselves over the last
year.
Yesterday’s award to the Trussell Trust will
enable the organisation to employ a team of dedicated staff who will provide
training, support and guidance to new and existing food banks across the
country.
Big Lottery Fund Scotland Chair, Maureen
McGinn, said: “As a funder supporting individuals and families
in greatest need, we are well aware of the current levels of hardship
experienced within many of Scotland’s communities. It is our
mission to support these people through a wide range of projects addressing
need.
“Over five years our award to the Trussell Trust
will help support around 400,000 people across the country who are struggling
with issues such as hunger, poverty and unemployment. By investing in this
Scotland wide project, our funding will build a network of support around some
of the most vulnerable people through providing access to emergency food
relief.”
In
its approach the Trussell Trust will identify and target those areas with high
levels of deprivation where there is no emergency food provision. It will then
provide the necessary support and training to local groups to help them set up
a foodbank in their area.
Trussell Trust figures reveal that the number of people
using foodbanks in Scotland has increased five-fold rising from 14,318 in
2012/2013 to 71,428 in 2013/2014.
Ewan Gurr, Scotland Development Officer, The
Trussell Trust, said: “The massive rise in demand for emergency
food relief highlights the extent to which foodbanks are a lifeline to many
Scottish families. The Big Lottery Fund has a tremendous track record of
supporting many worthy causes and we are pleased they have sought to support
our efforts in Scotland. This generous contribution to The Trussell Trust will
enhance the support in place for the men, women and children using our
foodbanks and help develop provision in areas where that support does not
currently exist.”
The’s award comes from the Big Lottery
Fund’s Investing in Communities fund which is aimed at projects that
support those communities, individuals and families in greatest
need.
The
Big Lottery Fund has already awarded over £19 million to over 100
projects through its Support and Connect programme aimed at supporting
communities in Scotland to deal with increasing hardship. The money is
providing essential lifelines including local food banks, money advice
services, community clothing and starter pack projects.
*Photographs of Big Lottery Fund Scotland Chair Maureen
McGinn and volunteers at the Falkirk food bank are available on the number
below.
For more information regarding this release
please contact:
Landa Rolland
Big Lottery Fund Scotland
0141 242 1415 | landa.rolland@biglotteryfund.org.uk
For more information on Big Lottery Fund
Scotland (including programmes and grants awards):
Visit: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/scotland
Ask BIG: http://ask.biglotteryfund.org.uk/help/scotland
Call: Big Advice Scotland: 0300 1237110
Notes to editors
- The Big Lottery Fund is
responsible for giving out 40% of the money raised for good causes by the
National Lottery.
- The
Fund is committed to bringing real improvements to communities and the lives of
people most in need and has been rolling out grants to health, education,
environment and charitable causes across the UK. Since its inception in 2004
BIG has awarded close to £6bn.
- The
Fund was formally established by Parliament on 1 December
2006.
- In
the year ending 31 March 2013, 28% of total National Lottery revenue was
returned to the Good Causes.
- Since the National Lottery began in 1994, £31
billion has been raised and more than 400,000 grants awarded across arts,
sport, heritage, charities, health, education and the
environment.
- The
Scotland Committee has been making Big Lottery Fund decisions on Scottish
projects since March 2007. As well as taking devolved decisions on Lottery
spending, the Committee, led by Chair, Maureen McGinn, has and will continue to
play a strategic role in the future direction of BIG in
Scotland.
- The
Big Lottery Fund is investing in Scotland’s communities through its
Investing in Communities portfolio, as well as the small grants schemes Awards
for All, Investing in Ideas, Communities and Families and 2014
Communities.