A charity leader has described the opening of its 50th Scottish foodbank as “galling.”

The service will be the first to run by the Trussell Trust in Glasgow city centre. With a higher footfall than any other part of Scotland, it is expected to experience high numbers seeking emergency help.

The foodbank will operate in the Townhead area, at the C7 church, also taking in areas to the north of the city including Springburn.

The Trussell Trust now operates five foodbanks in Glasgow with 14 distribution centres ? food rations across the city.

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Foodbanks are now operating in 28 of Scotland’s 32 local authorities, the last, opened earlier this month in Shetland.

In the last year, the charity has seen 130,000 referrals to its foodbanks across Scotland.

Ewan Gurr, Scotland’s Network Manager for the Trussell Trust said: “It’s our 50th foodbank in Scotland, which is quite galling and there are another three planned.

“The last opened in Shetland so we are going from the very least deprived local authority to the most deprived.

“There is such a diverse range of people coming into Glasgow city centre and it’s got the highest footfall of anywhere in Scotland,

“It’s quite appalling, especially when you consider there were 130,000 of referrals to the Trussell Trust in the last financial year and 140,000 made an application for a crisis grant from the Scottish Government.

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“It is as if we being used as a substitute for a social security system.

“Our foodbank in Glenrothes has taken on welfare advisors, with funding from the Scottish Welfare Fund. They have a 100% success rate with crisis grants.

“In West Lothian, which has also taken on advisors, there has been a 17.2% decrease in the referrals to the foodbank.

“People feel as if the support that is there is not being offered.

“When you are sanctioned, you feel as if you being punished rather than supported.

“We believe that a robust, strong social security system is key to decreasing demand for foodbanks.

“There’s a great quote from the social reformer William Beveridge: “Adventure comes not from the half starved but those well fed enough to feel ambition”

The foodbank was launched yesterday during the morning service of the C7 church in front of around 800 people.

Sandra White MSP, whose Kelvin constituency will be served by the foodbank, was among the speakers.

She said: "I'm glad to give my support but it's a sad endictment of society that we are having to open another foodbank."

The foodbank will operate from the church every Friday from 11pm-1pm.

John Ratcliffe, of the C7 church, said: “We have been in Townhead for two and a half years and we wanted to do something for the city.

“We will start with one day and as the donations grow we will look to starting a second day.”

The Trussell Trust’s first Scottish foodbank opened in Inverness in 2011.

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The rock band Feeder will be taking collections of both food and cash for the Trussel Trust at its upcoming gig at the O2 ABC on September 28.

Last week a foodbank run by the Church of Scotland in the Shettleson issued an urgent appeal for donations of toiletries.

The service, in Killin Street is looking fo soap, deodorants, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, toilet rolls and nappies as well as tampons and sanitary towels.