A VITAL foodbank has revealed they are seeing more people year on year including a large number of working families who are struggling during the cost of living crisis. 

The team at West Dunbartonshire Community Foodshare, based in Dumbarton, saw an 84% increase in people using the service in 2020 which has never subsided.

Clair Coyle, charity manager, says there has been a 'drastic' rise in the number of struggling residents who come to them for help.

She said: "Over the last four years, we've seen a big change in the demographics of people who are looking for support.

"We are now helping out a lot more working families, a lot of low-income working households are struggling terribly.

"Income isn't meeting outgoings at all for a lot of families now.

"We’ve had the change in the pensioner's winter fuel payments and we are anticipating quite a hard winter for a lot of local pensioners."

Clair Coyle of West Dunbartonshire Food Bank where demand has outstripped supplyClair Coyle of West Dunbartonshire Food Bank where demand has outstripped supply (Image: Gordon Terris) Clair says after the pandemic, it has been 'one thing after the other' for local residents and is asking for those who can help to donate to their local foodbank.

She added: "Crisis fuel bills increasing, the cost of food increasing, the cost of living crisis; it just seems to have been a constant stream of things that are making household incomes more difficult to manage.

"There's such a high number of people experiencing hopelessness.

"We're always forward planning to make sure we are able to support people even amongst the increasing numbers.

"We're spending a lot on buying ambient food, whereas previous to that we would spend that on fresh and frozen foods.

"We're really grateful for any support that anybody's able to provide."