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Don’t believe myths

It is very sad to read that the Swindon Foodbank is in danger of being closed.

However, it appears the Trussell Trust (and how many people knew the Foodbank was a franchise operation?) has severed its connections with the Foodbank’s core charity Swindon Christian Community Projects (SCCP) for what are being described as ‘administrative and operational issues’.

The SCCP itself, is suffering from ‘difficult governance, operational and funding challenges’ which suggests that internal harmony is not the strongest feature of this ‘Christian’ organisation.

The many people who have supported the Foodbank either through donating food products, dry goods or cash funding will be very surprised and disappointed at the loss of the facility, as will the many who benefited from its charity.

Many of your readers will also be amazed at the day to day cost of running the Foodbank, which would be far higher were it not for the amazing support given by volunteers and donors.

However, I do wish to add a request to this letter. A Foodbank volunteer refers to being “Sick and tired of this Daily Mail mentality that people who are at the bottom of society are automatically considered to be lazy scroungers”. Harsh words indeed, but as ever not necessarily true.

As a regular contributor to the pages of the Swindon Advertiser I am always reminded of the words of C P Scott who said “comment is free, but facts are sacred”.

The Daily Mail , along with other news media, has its faults, but to brand its readers as this lady has done is to promulgate the myth that only right wing reactionaries read the Daily Mail, just as it is also a myth to believe that only sandal wearing, liberal thinking, do gooders read the Guardian.

It’s far too simple to create a stereotype which suits the prevailing mood; the facts would probably demonstrate that Daily Mail readers also volunteer with Foodbanks, provide foodstuffs and donate money.

The potential loss of the Foodbank deserves better than lazy thinking laced with pejorative comments.

Des Morgan, Caraway Drive, Swindon

What a nerve

Wow, Kate Linnegar. You have a nerve blaming the Tory government and their policies for making people reliant on food banks.

You’re a potential Labour candidate. The same Labour party who watched our country disintegrate into billions of pounds worth of debt whilst your leaders became multi millionaires.

Normal people ended up bankrupt or in massive debt that they are still struggling to pay off.

Why not ask Tony and Gordon to fund the food banks in Swindon? I have no doubt they could afford to.

Roger Lack, North Swindon