MARY'S Meals is making a final push for its Double The Love campaign, as it warned of soaring costs to feed those in need.

The Scottish charity's effort, which began in November of 2022, was launched due to further food insecurity caused by the cost of living crisis and sees donations of up to £1.5 million being matched in January.

Mary’s Meals, which feeds more than two million hungry children every school day, has warned that the cost of feeding children in the world’s poorest countries has risen by more than 20%.

The charity provides healthy and nutritious meals in 18 countries including Malawi, Zambia, Liberia, Yemen and Thailand, and the promise of food attracts children to school where they can then gain an education and an avenue out of poverty.

The charity has seen the largest increase in costs in its 20-year history, with the cost to feed a child for a school year increasing from £15.90 to £19.15, due to rises in commodities such as grain, fuel, and fertiliser.

Daniel Adams, executive director of Mary’s Meals, said: “An uncertain year lies ahead, with the escalating cost of living causing much pain for both the children around the world who eat our school meals and those here in Scotland who make our work possible.

“Simply put, our income is not growing at the same rate as the cost of feeding children.

“The relentless kindness and generosity of people here in Scotland have helped us to grow feeding just 200 children in Malawi in 2002 to more than 2.4 million children around the world today.

“It is because of these people that we approach the many challenges we face in 2023 with a deep sense of hope.”

As part of the Double The Love campaign, money from "regular givers" – people who have a standing order or regular recurring payments to the charity – will have three payments matched.

Donators who decide to set up a regular gift during the course of the campaign will also have their first three donations doubled by the group of supporters.