A GLASGOW charity has seen the number of meals it provides to families double since the start of lockdown, rising to 2300 meals a week.

Launch Foods, which provides hot meals to hungry children, has shifted its operations from feeding hungry kids to entire households as lockdown continues to put a strain on families’ finances.

Craig Johnson, the founder of Launch Foods, said: “I grew up knowing what an empty fridge looks like. It hits a nerve with me. Once you start feeding hungry kids it is a difficult thing to stop. For almost two years we have been providing free hot meals to children after their school day.

“We feed on average 6000 children each month. Hunger does not take holidays. Summer only highlights what is a problem for families every day. We continue to feed vulnerable kids and have witnessed our numbers double since Covid-19 struck.

“We now go direct to the most vulnerable families, identifying them with the help of primary schools and then giving food to every member of the household.

“We work with eight primary schools. They vary from Govan to Easterhouse, Govanhill to Shettleston. Unfortunately, there are many schools on our waiting list. I have had requests from Liverpool, Newcastle and Aberdeen. Launch Foods shouldn’t exist, but it does.”

David Linden, MP for Glasgow East, said: “Is there enough financial support in place for families? Absolutely not. We welcomed the furlough scheme and the support provided for the self-employed but one of the things we have argued for in the SNP is a universal basic income so that people do not have to be fed by charities.”

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced on Tuesday that local authorities would receive £12.6m to help feed 175,000 pupils in Scotland. This followed the successful campaign by Manchester United and England footballer Marcus Rashford to ensure free school meals in England would continue into the summer.