EARLIER on Monday, local MSP and infrastructure secretary Keith Brown and the first minister visited the Gate Foodbank to meet volunteer staff and show their support.

The foodbank provided ingredients for over 35,000 meals in 2014 which was made possible with support from volunteers and Scottish Government funding of £9590 over this year and the next.

Valerie Rose, co-founder of the Gate Foodbank, said: “The requests for food from the Gate Foodbank are increasing all the time.

"This January we saw almost a 200 per cent increase on this time last year. The main reason for those requiring emergency food has been low income or debt and delays or sanction of benefits.

“If these numbers continue - and we think that this will continue throughout the year - we will have delivered over 50,000 meals to the Clackmannanshire area.

“That’s almost one meal per person in this county. Poverty is no illusion, it is a reality for many in our local community.” Nicola Sturgeon said: “People in Alloa and around Clackmannanshire are clearly feeling the damaging effects of the UK Government’s austerity agenda.

“That is why we have helping those most affected a priority and why we are supporting the Gate Foodbank through the Emergency Food Fund.

“The number of people experiencing food poverty in Scotland is simply unacceptable, with Trussell Trust data showing use of food banks in Scotland more than doubled in the last year.

“The most common reasons for people accessing emergency food continue to be welfare cuts, benefits sanctions and low incomes.

“That is why it’s important we focus on fair work, including promotion of the Living Wage across the country, and why we argue for a welfare system that properly supports people’s needs and avoids the need for food banks in the first place.”