Inverness food bank run by Blythswood is gearing up for a jump in demand as Covid-19 coronavirus lockdown begins to bite

An Inverness food bank is appealing for more donations as it gears up for a further expected jump in demand.

Highland Foodbank, run by Blythswood, is expecting more people to turn to them in the next few weeks.

“People who have lost their jobs as a result of the virus have been existing on their March pay, but will run into difficulty over the next three or four weeks,” manager Lorna Dempster said.

It was previously reported how the food bank is benefitting from a donation of £1000 a week for eight weeks from developer Tulloch Homes.

Mrs Dempster said that had allowed them to launch an almost daily delivery service from bases in Nairn and Dingwall as well as Inverness, and also to deliver food boxes for distribution by other groups in the Sutherland area.

“There’s been a 30 per cent increase in needy people coming to our premises and that’ll jump again in the coming weeks,” she said.

“Local folk have been very generous in donating food but we’re now appealing for non-perishable products. We’re getting low on supplies of tinned potatoes, tinned ham and tinned corned beef, which are important to those in hardship.”

Tulloch Homes chief executive George Fraser said: “We’re extremely pleased with the progress of the delivery service and we encourage local people to give what they can to this hugely deserving cause.”

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