A SCOTTISH food bank has received a £20,000 donation from Metallica's charitable foundation following the band's concert at Hampden Park last week.
The donation to Glasgow South East Food Bank – the city’s first food bank when it opened in 2011 – came from the band's foundation, All Within My Hands, after a group of Metallica fans spent part of the concert day volunteering before heading to the evening's show.
Glasgow SE Foodbank has said demand is 33% higher than it was at this time last year, despite normally expecting a lull during summer months.
Fundraiser Alex Bewley said: "We're incredibly grateful to All Within My Hands for this generous donation and to the volunteers who gave up part of their day to support us before the concert, all of whom had travelled from far off places and countries to attend the show and help our small charity.
"It's a fantastic boost for our charity, but it also shines a spotlight on the challenges facing many local people. We would normally expect demand to ease over the summer, but this year we're supporting around 30% more people than we were at this time last year.
"This donation will make a genuine difference, helping us continue supporting people across Govanhill and the wider southside of Glasgow at a time when our services are needed more than ever. We're incredibly grateful to All Within My Hands for choosing to support our work in Glasgow. "
Last year, the food bank supported around 6500 people through emergency food provision and wider practical support.
While demand has fallen from the unprecedented levels seen during the pandemic and the height of the cost-of-living crisis, the charity says demand has remained consistently at this level over recent years and is expected to rise sharply this winter.
The food bank is marking its 15th anniversary.
