Don't be ashamed to seek help, struggling parents told

The Church of Scotland said the long school holidays could be a challenging time for parents in financial difficulty PA

Parents struggling to feed their children are being encouraged to seek help from churches and other services that can support them through their hardship.

The Church of Scotland's Reverend Sally Foster-Fulton said the long summer holidays could be a challenging time for families in financial difficulty.

"With schools closed and hungry children at home there is the real possibility that many children from all parts of Scotland will spend the summer break not getting enough to eat – that is a shocking indictment on our country," she said.

"People may jokingly mock school dinners, but they provide essential basic nutrition and for many children they are the one substantial cooked meal they will get during the day.

"Although we are saddened and appalled at the inequality that leads so many families to struggle to get enough to eat we are proud to be working across Scotland with colleagues from many faiths in running food banks where people can get the essentials for life."

Hundreds of foodbanks have been set up at churches across the UK by Christian charity the Trussell Trust.

The trust has seen the number of people using emergency foodbanks in Scotland more than double in the last year, rising to 14,318 people.

People turning to the charity included those experiencing redundancy and unexpected bills.

Mrs Foster-Fulton added: "There is no stigma in getting help if you need it and I would urge people who think they would benefit from the services of a food bank to contact their local church or their local authority.

"Bad luck and unfortunate circumstances can happen to anyone. Food banks and other services can bridge the gap when families are finding times hard – so we urge them to be courageous and take that first step.

"The longer-term challenge will be in finding ways to bridge this poverty trap permanently. That will mean all of us being courageous enough to challenge our part in perpetrating inequality."

News
Fire severely damages historic Amsterdam church on New Year’s Day
Fire severely damages historic Amsterdam church on New Year’s Day

A major fire tore through one of Amsterdam’s best-known historic buildings in the early hours of New Year’s Day, seriously damaging the property and forcing people to leave nearby homes.

Rwanda’s president on the defensive over church closures
Rwanda’s president on the defensive over church closures

Rwandan President Paul Kagame defended the government's forced closure of Evangelical churches, accusing them of being a “den of bandits” led by deceptive relics of colonialism. 

We are the story still being written
We are the story still being written

The story of Christ continues in the lives of those who take up His calling.

Christians harassed, attacked all over India at Christmas
Christians harassed, attacked all over India at Christmas

International Christian Concern reported more than 80 incidents in India, some of them violent, over Christmas.