EVERY six minutes, independent foodbanks in Glasgow hand out a food parcel.

New figures show the level of food poverty and hunger in the city as thousands of people are forced to rely on charity to feed themselves and their family.

The situation is far worse than even these figures show as the information applies to just ten independent food banks in Glasgow and does not include the Trussell Trust who operate another four food banks in the city dealing with thousands more people in need.

The independent Food Aid Network produced figures which included ten Glasgow foodbank organisations.

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It found the ten foodbanks distributed 44,037 parcels between April and September last year.

It works out at an average of 244 a day, ten for every hour - one every six minutes.

The foodbanks in Glasgow include Whiteinch, Storehouse Food Bank, Queen’s Park and Govanhill, Lodging House Mission, Central and West Integration Network, Crookston Community, Drumchapel, two venues in Govan and Glasgow City Mission.

The benefits system is pushing thousands of people in the city to food banks.

Nasreen Ali, of Crookston Community Foodbank, said Universal Credit, benefit sanctions and low part part time work is leaving people with not enough to live on.

She said: “We have seen a 20% increase in people coming who have been sanctioned by the DWP and have no money for food.

“Another problem is part time work. If people take on a few extra hours they lose out more from benefits than what they earned.

“One single parent took on an extra six hours and got £43 extra wages but she lost £250 housing benefit that month.

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“People in work are coming saying once they have paid rent, gas and electric they have not enough left for food. They are in tears and embarrassed at having to come to a foodbank. It is a disgrace.”

Diane McWilliam of Whiteinch Foodbank said keeping up with growing demand is a constant challenge.

She said: “We have more and more people coming on ESA who have been assessed as fit for work.

“And we have seen an increase with universal credit with people waiting for a first payment or budgeting problems and running out of money before the end of the month.

Another problem is asylum seekers and refugees left in the city with next to nothing to live on.

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Philippa Roloff from Govan Community Project, said: “We work mostly with asylum seekers and people with refugee status.

“They get accommodation and have £37 a week to live on, just £5 a day for all expenses.

“They need to travel Home Office and to see lawyers and a bus ticket is more than £4 a day.

“So their choice is having a meal or bus fare. They have no choice but to rely on a foodbank.

“We know the demand is greater than what we can provide.”

Whiteinch foodbank is looking for tinned foods, rice pasta and cereals. Donations to Whiteinch Centre 1 Northinch Street G14 0UG.