Appeal for continuing donations to foodbank distribution centre are Edinburgh's RBS headquarters

Generous response matched by huge demand

MEMBERS of the public are being urged to continue donating essential food and supplies to the foodbank distribution centre set up by Royal Bank of Scotland at its Gogarburn headquarters.

The bank linked up with food poverty charities the Trussell Trust and Social Bite at the start of the Covid lockdown in March to ensure much-needed help was available for some of society’s most vulnerable people.

The appeal for donations was also backed by the Evening News.

Since then, Gogarburn’s catering provider, Baxter Storey, has donated over 150 meals a day to Social Bite and supplied 1,500 meals each evening to NHS Lothian staff. The distribution team has also received contributions from many RBS agricultural customers which have allowed Baxter Storey to donate over 30,000 portions of soup to vulnerable people.

The centre has also co-ordinated the distribution of 123,000 “Bookbug” early years education packs donated by the Scottish Books Trust and given to schools and social work departments in Scotland’s most deprived areas, as well as to families supported by Social Bite.

But RBS says despite the positive response, the Gogarburn distribution centre remains in need of donations to meet demand.

And it has partnered with Social Bite to provide household essentials and furniture required to reopen a homeless shelter in Glasgow.

Anyone wanting to donate to the shelter can purchase essentials, including bedding and towels, via an Amazon wish list or drop off items such as second-hand TVs and duvets at Gogarburn.

Malcolm Buchanan, chair of RBS’s Scotland board, said: “While the gradual easing of lockdown restrictions has brought relief to many, the devastating impact of coronavirus is still being felt across the country – particularly by the most vulnerable members of our society. We have seen immense generosity from our staff, our customers and members of the public. However, such generosity has been matched by huge demand and we would urge those who are able to donate to continue doing so.”