Gordon Brown has praised a “coalition of compassion” as three charities band together to open a new food hub and multibank in Glasgow.
The former prime minister and president of Multibank Scotland attended the opening of a new coronation food hub on Wednesday.
The hub, in Scotstoun, is the first in Scotland and brings together three charities Move On, Felix and Multibank Scotland under one roof.
But now is the time to come to Glasgow, because there's 40,000 children in poverty in Glasgow. We believe we can do something to alleviate that poverty
The site will be home to a new multibank for Glasgow which aims to support communities across the city by providing essential items, including clothing, hygiene products and household supplies to families, children and individuals experiencing hardship.
As part of the Coronation Food Project, inspired by the King, the newly refurbished site will play a vital role in providing surplus food to communities in need across the region.
Mr Brown said: “The multibanks have been created throughout the whole of the United Kingdom, starting in Scotland and starting in the east of Scotland in Fife, and now we’re coming to Glasgow.
“We’ve given out 20 million goods to families, more than two million children are being helped right across the country. But now is the time to come to Glasgow, because there’s 40,000 children in poverty in Glasgow. We believe we can do something to alleviate that poverty.”
Move On have said the investment in the Glasgow site will allow them to distribute up to 40% more food regionally.
Mr Brown continued: “We can get goods from companies that are surplus to them, we get these goods to people who are in need of them.
“And we’ve got this great partnership, a coalition of compassion with Move On, a great Glasgow charity, with Felix and Fareshare, which is a food charity.
“And we are a goods charity, and we get the goods to people, so we can get everything from clothes to toiletries, from utensils to microwaves, and so on and so forth, we can get these to people in need.”
Improvements include a new warehouse and distribution space, a new 34-pallet freezer massively increasing capacity to receive, store and distribute frozen food and a fully fitted state of the art catering kitchen.
Paul Sullivan, chief executive of Move On said: “The Move On Coronation Food Hub marks a significant step forward in our mission to fight hunger across Glasgow and the west of Scotland.
“By increasing our capacity to rescue and redistribute surplus food, we’ll be able to reach even more people facing food insecurity while ensuring good food doesn’t go to waste.
“Over three years we expect to redistribute the equivalent of 3.5 million meals’ worth of food to people across the region.”
Alice Moxley, chief executive at Multibank said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Move On to establish a new Glasgow multibank, supporting communities across Glasgow and the wider city region.
“Move On’s deep local knowledge, strong community relationships and commitment to practical support make them an ideal partner for this next stage of multibank Scotland’s growth.
“Together, we will help ensure that more essential goods reach the people and places where they can make the greatest difference.”