AS Christmas approaches, thousands of Scots will be forced to rely on foodbanks for meals and toys for their families.

But foodbank organisers across Glasgow also fear a further spike of need in the new year, as cash-strapped families run out of food after the festive period.

It came after new Trussell Trust figures show the number of users visiting Glasgow foodbanks had jumped by 229% in a year.

Glasgow North West Foodbank is appealing for people to donate new toys and cash for their Christmas meal as part of a new appeal.

They are hosting their second annual festive celebration on December 25 for about 60 poverty-hit residents.

Kyle McCormick, coordinator of the Trussell Trust-run foodbank in Blawarthill Church, said: "We are getting ready for Christmas and collecting donations.

"At the same we are looking forward to January. Last year we fed 800 people in a month - and that's three meals each.

"Because people often get paid early or are given a benefit payment in advance before Christmas they are left running out of money in January.

"You hear a lot about the working poor - that's what it is.

"These are people who are working but they are struggling to pay the bills. We fully expect January to be our busiest month again."

Father-of-four Kyle, 28, said he was pleased with the number of volunteers who have offered to help with their Christmas Day festivities.

The event will start at 12.30pm, with the meal served at 1pm.

He said: "We've found it fantastic how many people want to volunteer.

"We have a whole family who want to volunteer together in the morning and then they will have their Christmas dinner together later."

The organisers have teamed up with the Greater Maryhill and Glasgow North East Foodbanks, who will ask some of their volunteers to help out too.

Kyle said: "We'll also be asking other organisations to refer clients from across the city who would benefit from this."

He added that they were feeding around 100 people a week - and many were struggling with sudden changes in their lives.

"Some of the clients have faced unforeseen circumstances," he said.

"A few people have been struggling because somebody in the family is ill and they are spending money on trips back and forth to the hospital."

The Evening Times has been campaigning for a more coordinated approach to foodbanks and to remove the stigma experienced by people using them.

Our Food for Thought campaign has been backed by the Trussell Trust, as well as city institutions including GHA, NHSGGC, Rangers Football Club, Partick Thistle and the Glasgow Tigers Speedway Team.

Actors Martin Compston and David Hayman, as well as comedian Janey Godley and entrepreneur Sir Tom Hunter, have also pledged their support.

rachel.loxton@eveningtimes.co.uk