The reality of not knowing where your next meal is coming from and the stark choice between eating and heating will be put under the spotlight by the Dundee Fairness Commission next week.

As it nears the end of its evidence gathering and scrutiny phase the commission is keen to hear about the experiences people living in the city have had with food security, foodbanks and fuel poverty.

Among those addressing the commission at its meeting on Tuesday (December 15) will be Dave Morris from the Trussell Trust, Ken Linton from the Dundee Foodbank, and Dundee City Council’s housing strategy manager Gordon Birrell.

Jimmy Black, commission convener, said: “This will be the sixth meeting at which we will be collecting facts and experiences from people for whom poverty is their everyday reality.

“The truth is that poverty takes many forms but the most fundamental effect it can have is there being no money in the household for food or to heat and light your home.

“Especially at this time of year to be in the position of having to choose whether to keep warm or eat properly is not a situation any of us wants to face.

“We have one more session on benefit sanctions early next year before the commission prepares its recommendations on the way forward for Dundee. If we can help to eradicate these types of painful choices for people in our city then we will have gone a long way towards success.”

The Dundee Fairness Commission meets on Tuesday (December 15) at 6pm at Central Baptist Church, 9a Ward Road. The meeting is open to the public.

@DundeeCouncil

@TrussellTrust