A new campaign aimed at highlighting the 'humanitarian crisis' caused by poverty in Scotland has been launched by a group of charities.
 
The campaign will seek to raise awareness of the scale and impact of poverty on people living in Scotland.
 
Organisations behind the 'Scotland's Outlook' campaign include Macmillan, Shelter Scotland, Oxfam, Alzheimer Scotland, Children’s Hospice Association Scotland, the Child Poverty Action Group, the Poverty Alliance and the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO).
 
Martin Sime, SCVO Chief Executive, said: 'With nearly a million people in Scotland living in poverty, we have a humanitarian crisis on our hands and we need everyone’s help to tackle it. Thousands of people are turning to food banks, struggling to heat their homes, and to clothe themselves and their children... We want people to wake up to the poverty storm that’s engulfing Scotland and get active in the fight against it'.
 
Source: Press release 4 March 2014, Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations
Links: SCVO press release | BBC report