A KIND-HEARTED singer is asking fans to pay to get into his Glasgow gig with food donations for local people.

Alistair Griffin will be singing for suppers when he stops off in the city on Monday as part of a national tour.

The York-based songwriter, who shot to fame in 2003 when he appeared on the BBC's Fame Academy, will play to a sell-out crowd in Tchai-Ovna House of Tea on Otago Lane.

Profits from the gig will be donated to food bank charity The Trussell Trust and the singer has also asked fans to "buy a tin of tomatoes, a can of soup, or a tin of tuna and just bring them along on the night".

As part of his Food Bank Tour - which takes in London, Manchester, Glasgow, York and Birmingham - Alistair will collect food and donations at every stop.

His is also working with Fuller's Brewery which has donated its pub venues and staff for free.

Alistair, whose song What If was used by the BBC when Scot Andy Murray won Wimbledon, decided to organise the tour after hearing about the rising number of desperate people who are visiting food banks across the UK.

He said: "Times are hard and for some people that means a daily struggle for the things that a lot of us take for granted.

"I designed this tour to help raise awareness and directly help people in need."

The Trussell Trust recently announced that April to June was the busiest quarter in the history of Scottish food banks.

We told recently that the Glasgow South East Food Bank in Govanhill, gave out 3000 meals in a month. The Trussell Trust service, managed by Audrey Flannagan, fed 219 adults and 116 children in June.

Across Scotland - between April and June - 10,000 men, women and children were fed by the Trussell Trust in comparison to fewer than 2000 in the same quarter of last year, marking a 400% increase.

There are now 15 food banks across Glasgow, run by charities, church groups and volunteers.

Musician Alistair has had his tracks recorded and performed by artists as diverse as Robin Gibb and Cascada.

His song Just Drive is used by both the BBC and Sky for their Formula 1 coverage and his new single The One was used by the BBC to close The Open.

linzi.watson@eveningtimes.co.uk