With thanks to Gavin Mowat, Constituency Assistant to Christian Allard MSP
Christian Allard MSP (right) with volunteers at Ellon Tesco food collection in July
SNP MSP Christian Allard is backing the fifth Neighbourhood Food Collection organised by Tesco in stores across the North East.
From Monday 24th November to Saturday 29th November, Tesco stores will invite shoppers to donate an item or two from their weekly groceries to help those in their communities who are struggling to afford to eat.
The collection is being run in partnership with foodbank charity The Trussell Trust and food redistribution charity FareShare. As well as hosting the collection, Tesco will also “top-up” all food donations by 30%.
Since November 2012, Tesco food collections have helped provide 15.3 million meals across the UK.
North East MSP Christian Allard will be volunteering at the Turriff store on Friday 28 November from 10am.
Commenting, Mr Allard said:
“Volunteers at The Trussell Trust make a vital contribution to lives of families struggling to feed themselves in the North East and beyond. I am always happy to lend a hand whenever I can.
“The rise of foodbanks is unacceptable in a country as prosperous as Scotland, but the work of local volunteers is inspiring.
“While their efforts should not be necessary I know that they are greatly appreciated by those in need, particularly in the run up to Christmas.
“I look forward to joining local volunteers in Turriff on Friday and helping out with this important task. I will be encouraging people to be as generous as they can with their donations.”
Christian will attend the Turriff Tesco Neighbourhood Food Collection from 10 am on Friday 28 November.
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As has become tradition, the SNP actively promote the opening and operation of as many food banks as possible, so that they can, in my opinion, cynically blame others for the existence of food banks for the purpose of political and electoral advantage. The number of food banks has exploded during the years of SNP government as they work ever more closely with the Trussell Trust, a company which employs at least seventeen staff, ranging from Chief Executive to PR & Marketing Manager, Corporate Partnership Manager, HR Administration Manager etc. You know the kind of thing which any self respecting small business might need.
Mr Allard has, in my view, blatantly misled readers of Aberdeen Voice before and will, in my view, do so again. It is time, however, that people woke up to what, in my opinion, amounts to a cynical and opportunistic strategy of promoting something for no other reason than to use as a political stick to wave at opponents and falsely claim the moral high ground.
I have recently formed the opinion that the SNP prefer slogans and empty rhetoric to facts, details or rational debate and would not, therefore, expect any rebuttal of such accusations.