It helps you to keep going when the finishing line is in sight. In her last year of midwifery training, Georgie* was looking forward to qualifying to do the job she loves and earning a salary to support herself and her two young children.

Studying wasn’t easy, getting by on a student bursary, child benefit and the Scottish child payment. But now an increase in her rent put additional pressure on her very tight budget. It was the university which referred her to Blythswood’s Highland Foodbank in Inverness.

“Georgie was nervous about coming to Foodbank, as she had never asked for this kind of help before,” says foodbank manager Lorna Dempster. “Over a cup of tea and chat we were able to point her in the direction of further support for her younger child who has additional needs. Georgie really felt like a weight had been lifted.

“We provided her with enough food for a week, as well as toiletries and household items like washing powder and washing-up liquid. And with the really cold weather approaching, she was so glad to be given hot water bottles.”

In 2023, with your support, Highland Foodbank helped 6,402 people from its five foodbank centres across the north of Scotland.