Donations give charity power to continue work

A CHARITY that appealed for help to tackle hidden poverty in the Valleys has received cash donations of around £1,000 after its story hit the headlines.

Pontycymmer-based Community Furniture Aid (CFA) – which, as we previously reported, revealed people were being left without beds or lightbulbs in their properties – can now get the smashed windows at its base in an old church repaired and get electricity installed for the first time.

Marianne Cash, who co-founded CFA with husband Julian, said: “We have received cash donations of almost £1,000.

“These include an anonymous donation from a lady in Llanelli, a cheque from an ex-pat family in France and other smaller donations.

“One lady called Claire Norman used the Jo Cox Great Get Together event to hold an afternoon tea party.

“She had a raffle and raised around £250 and has donated it to Community Furniture Aid.

“With these generous donations we have been able to seek match funding of £800 from Persimmon Homes. This will help us to cover the inside of the smashed windows and some of the emergency repairs.

“We will soon be starting work to have a basic electric supply added to The Gothic so we can open for longer and it will be safer for our volunteers.”

Julian was named Fundraiser of the Year at the Pride of Wales Awards at the Vale of Glamorgan Hotel on June 15. Last month the charity appealed for help to continue with its work furnishing homes with donated furniture.

Julian and Marianne revealed they had come across a case where seven children were being forced to “top and tail” in one bed while their parents slept on the floor.

A four-year-old girl also told them she had only ever slept on a mattress on the floor and they found an elderly woman, who had just been discharged from hospital, sat on a garden chair in a totally bare flat with no electricity.

CFA helps people in the Bridgend valleys and Rhondda, but has also worked in Barry and Port Talbot.

Marianne added: “We are helping the people that are too poor to go to the charity shop.”

In just three years the charity has completely furnished 265 homes with items donated by the public – everything from knives and forks to sofas.