Foodbank has helped to feed 2,000 people
Rhondda foodbank is a lifeline for so many. Morgan Hughes went to see how staff are preparing for Christmas
A FOODBANK that has served as a lifeline to so many people in the Rhondda this year is estimated to have fed over 1,945 people.
The Rhondda Foodbank has three sites that make it accessible to all, providing two tonnes worth of food every month.
In the run up to Christmas they will provide 150 Christmas food parcels for families and individuals in crisis in our local community.
So, to see their hard work in action, I went for a visit to the heart of the Valleys in Ferndale to the Acts Community Church.
The foodbank has food delivered by local supermarkets that keeps supplies stocked. This means that while they do occasionally run low on things, they have never run out of anything completely.
They rely on the generosity of local businesses and donations from the public, especially in the build up to Christmas. At that point supplies are topped up until Easter and can continue to feed those who rely on their
services. Many of the people the foodbank supports may only need them once when they are in crisis, however for some people that crisis is ongoing and they have regulars that they have got to know well. Regardless of whether they see them once or they see them regularly, the team hope to make a small difference.
I had never been to a foodbank before but I found it such an insightful look at the services provided. Plus, the two ladies who run it, Gaynor Jones and Theresa Thomas, were some of the kindest people I have ever met.
They both believe they provide more than just food - they try to offer support and advice to those who use the service by signposting people to the relevant agencies to get help in other areas.
The team are also well aware of the stigma attached to accessing a foodbank and some of the stories they shared are heart-breaking. Ultimately though, they aren’t there to judge.
Gaynor, food bank manager, said: “We know it’s a difficult thing to do, but it’s the right thing to do. Please don’t hesitate, we’re here to help whether it’s in the short term or the long term. There are so many ways to access help, and it takes courage.”
Theresa is the external relations coordinator for the foodbank. She said: “If someone came to the door and asked for food we would always give it to them but we would then encourage them to reach out to get a voucher and get support for anything else they may need.”
Part of her role is going into schools and educating children about the foodbank should any of them ever need to use their service to help break the stigma around accessing it.
Theresa and Gaynor both said that over the years they had seen a huge shift in their typical client - whereas the majority of their clients were previously single homeless people, that has now shifted where they see far more families coming to them for support. I was told that people will often go days without food before accessing help.
I had never seen so much cereal, pasta and tins before - the church in Ferndale serves as a distribution centre for the other foodbanks in the Rhondda as it has the most storage space.
Even though it seemed like a lot of food, the women quickly said that it wasn’t when you think of how many people they feed.
They have pasta, beans and soup coming out of their ears and hate to waste any food so if you would like to donate anything to the Rhondda foodbank this Christmas they are in need of tinned fruit, tinned custard, tinned meat and toiletries.
The team put together packs of toiletries ready for collection but always run out of razors and shaving gel so great ideas to add to your list if you would like to donate.
If you need help it’s there for you and you’ll be welcomed with a smile at the Rhondda foodbank, there’s nothing to feel ashamed about.
It’s a basic human need to have access to food, we all go through tough times but there are people that really want to help.
Prior to my visit I really didn’t know what to expect but it wasn’t what I had pictured at all.
I thought it would be a small room with food and wasn’t sure it would be a positive experience but the team at the foodbank go out of their way to add little touches to each food parcel and make a real difference to the lives of people they come into contact with.
I’m so grateful to the team for having me in to show me around. Thank you for the work you do in our local community.