Temporary food banks to open in Glasgow over Queen's funeral
- Published
Gerard McKenzie-Govan is planning to set up a temporary food bank service on Monday
Temporary food banks are set to open on Monday, the day of the Queen's funeral.
It comes as a number of food banks with Trussell Trust membership are expected to close on 19 September "out of respect".
The trust said it was standard practice for its centres to close on bank holidays and local services were "best placed" to decide.
However, the move has led to several groups organising one-off support for donations and pick-ups.
Gerard McKenzie-Govan, who is planning to set up a temporary service, said food banks should be open seven days a week and it was wrong they were closing for the bank holiday.
Mr McKenzie-Govan runs The Blankfaces, a non-profit fashion label in Glasgow, where all designs are created by someone who has been or is homeless.
He said: "People are starving out there so we need food banks to be open. So we decided that on Monday, we won't close and we'll open as a food bank.
"People can donate, they can also come, pick up anything that's needed."
King Charles III declared a bank holiday on Monday and some food banks have decided to shut for the day.
'Massive response'
According to Third Force News, an outlet for Scotland's charity sector, more than a third of Scottish food banks are expected to close on Monday.
Mr McKenzie-Govan, who announced he was planning to run a temporary food bank on social media on Wednesday, said there had been a "massive response".
He added: "It was probably the best response we've ever had, the amount of people messaging us, a lot of people who couldn't make it sending in deliveries through Deliveroo and things like this. Loads of messages."
The Trussell Trust said it was "standard practice" for food banks to close on bank holidays
He said was still expecting more people to drop off their non-perishable items over the weekend.
Having worked closely with the food bank at Carntyne & Riddrie Credit Union, he added: "I think food banks shouldn't exist in the first place.
"We live in a day and age where people shouldn't be even homeless in the streets but food banks should not be closing on Monday.
"People are still starving, people are hungry, people are in need. In all honesty, food banks should be open seven days a week."
Approximately 17 food banks with Trussell Trust membership are set to close their doors on 19 September, according to Third Force News.
The organisation is made up of 45 operators who run 118 food bank centres across 28 local authorities in Scotland.
'The right decision'
Centres in East Lothian, Glasgow, East Dunbartonshire, Fife and the Highlands have all announced closures on social media.
Emma Revie, chief executive of the Trussell Trust, said: "Food banks in our network run sessions on different days and at different times, and it is standard practice for them to be closed on bank holidays when the majority of referral organisations are also closed."
She said that food bank operating hours were also based on the local requirements and ranged between different services.
"Local food banks are best placed to make the right decision about whether to open or not on Monday and those that are shut will ensure everyone who needs support can access it." Ms Revie added.
"Food banks often provide additional provision around bank holidays such as providing food parcels to alternative locations that are open - like fire stations - or running additional, or longer sessions around the bank holiday."
She also recommended that people should contact their local food bank to check opening hours.