Midlothian foodbank use above pre-pandemic levels

Demand for emergency food parcels in Midlothian remains above pre-pandemic levels, new figures show.
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Figures from the Trussell Trust charity show 5,660 emergency food parcels were handed out to people in Midlothian in the year to March. This was an increase from 4,342 emergency food parcels distributed in the year to March 2021, and up 29 per cent on the 4,397 provided in the year to March 2020, before the pandemic began.

The charity typically hands out emergency packages containing three days’ worth of food. Since the start of the pandemic, it has also started providing supplies in seven-day packages, in response to growing need and to limit the number of deliveries.

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Across Scotland, 197,037 parcels were handed out by the nation’s 140 distribution centres in the year to March.

In the year to March, 53 per cent – or 2,978 – of the parcels handed out in Midlothian were given to children, up from 2,090 in the year before the pandemic.