MP at Ardrossan Food Bank

Katy Clark MP visited the food-bank at Ardrossan Church in December, and said she was appalled by the rapid rise in poverty resulting from the government’s policies. Over the last year, the Trussell Trust, the charity that has enabled the Ardrossan food-bank and community garden to be set up, has doubled the number of people it feeds. Craig Crosthwaite, the lead developer for North Ayrshire’s food-bank provision, estimated that 2500 people a year have come to the food-bank when in need – and the number is rising.

Ronald Gilchrist, of the Greenway School for Soil and Community Food Production, is also involved in the food-bank scheme. He explained that the North Ayrshire Food Bank operates a ‘donations café’ and composts any catering waste from the cafe as an organic fertiliser to grow herbs, salads and vegetables that in their turn are used in the cafe. He said, “We have been inspired by the warmth, generosity and community spirit which we have found in Ardrossan.”

Katy Clark is also deeply concerned that long term unemployment is still at its highest level since 1996 as a result of the Government’s “inadequate work programmes and low economic growth.” She points out that in North Ayrshire and Arran there are more than twelve people on Jobseekers’ Allowance for every vacancy advertised on Jobcentre Plus.