The North Coast foodbank, based in Largs, have said that numbers using the facility have gone down in line with Ayrshire figures.
The local statistics show that numbers using the operation has decreased since the Largs premises moved from their Boyd Street location to Clark Memorial Church, but the overall benefits of the new location does have some important positive factors.
The local foodbank, which covers Largs, Fairlie, Skelmorlie and Millport, had been on the look-out for a new premises after the Citizen Advice Bureau closed, and North Ayrshire Council had allowed them access to Boyd Street before moving to their current location in March.
A spokeswoman for the local foodbank explained that numbers are down since the move and they mostly seem to reach single people.
Many foodbanks are affiliated to the Trussell Trust, but the North Coast Foodbank decided to be independent.
The spokeswoman added: “We mostly seem to reach single people, many that have not been able to get vouchers (as Trussell Trust requires, we encourage but we disregard the absence of). We’re in constant discussion about how to extend our reach and the new site facilitates that - we are just beginning to see the potential, especially being able to have informal chats with people coming in.”
“We’re in the church itself, in the big room upstairs that’s perfect. The minister and the church have been great and really supportive so we hope that continues and grows.”
She added that the Citizens Advice had been very helpful in the setting up of the foodbank, and also praised North Ayrshire Council for letting the foodbank stay on until they had found their new location.
The foodbank is open in Clark Memorial Church every Thursday from 12 noon till 5pm.
Latest figures published by the Trussell Trust show the number of people using their affiliated foodbanks in North Ayrshire has dropped by almost 40 per cent.
In 2016/17 the number of people using foodbanks was 3,145, compared to 5,124 in 2015/16 . In the latest figures 984 were children and 2,161 were adults.
But, the network of 52 Scottish foodbanks provided 145,865 three-day emergency food supplies to people in crisis – including 47,955 for children – during the 2016/17 financial year. Low income has, for the first time, become the single biggest reason for a referral to a Scottish foodbank.