PROJECTS in Glasgow are to get a share of government funding to help ease food poverty and reduce reliance on foodbanks.

Seven initiatives in the city will get tens of thousands of pounds each to help people with cooking skills and affordable healthy eating habits.

Scottish Government Communities Secretary Angela Constance announced the 21 recipients of the Fair Food Transformation Fund worth £900,000 over the next two years.

Programmes in Glasgow include the St Paul’s Youth Forum in Blackhill where Ms Constance announced the awards.

It will get £46,000 438 for its Beyond Foodbank initiative, aimed at moving away from emergency food provision. Neil Young, Youth Team Leader from St Paul’s Youth Forum, said: “This will enable us to help people in food poverty in Blackhill and Provanmill to move beyond the shame and embarrassment that comes with being dependent on Food Banks and instead be assets in their community, contributing alongside others as equals.

“From its conception, this project has been community led, and people are taking pride in seeing what they can produce from cucumbers, to pizza, eggs and honey. The project will endeavour to ensure that no one goes hungry, and the power is shifted from being dependent on others to helping each other to find a community solution to an on-going problem.”

Ms Constance said: “I have been very clear that no-one should have to rely on emergency food provision in Scotland, and this money will help to ensure we can create sustainable solutions to food poverty.”

Castlemilk Parish Church will get £30,000 from the fund for its newly established community meals project,

It has suspended its foodbank to concentrate on the social aspect of the meals project.

Rev Sarah Brown said: “We were providing an emergency food bank for essential overnight supplies at our old church, but we’ve suspended that because we think helping people build relationships in the community is better than giving handouts.

“We want to restore people’s dignity and see them leaving full after a good meal, rather than eating until the bag is empty. The other projects in the city to receive funding are Bridging the Gap, in Gorbals, Central and West Integration Network, community Renewal Trust in Govanhill, Crookston Community Group and Woodlands Community Development Trust.