Amazing response – but the foodbanks are under pressure
THE pandemic has put more strain than ever on foodbanks.
As volunteers self-isolate, people lose their jobs or find themselves on reduced incomes, and supermarkets limit the number of items sold, centres across South Wales are faced with the challenge of meeting greater demand with limited resources.
Even before the covid-19 outbreak began they were experiencing high pressure but now, with people fearing for their income as businesses are forced to close and supermarkets struggling to keep up with demand, the need is even greater.
The strains of the virus mean that more people than ever are relying on foodbanks to feed their family.
Last year it was reported that Trussell Trust foodbanks, in areas where Universal Credit has been rolled out for at least a year, had seen a 30% increase in demand.
Here is what each of the trust’s local foodbanks are currently most in need of, with details of the shops where the items can be safely and legally dropped off while you are doing your essential shopping:
At the moment the most-needed items are tinned tomatoes, all tinned fruit and vegetables, rice, long-life milk and juice, jam and tinned puddings.
Donations can be dropped off at supermarkets and shops including Asda Cardiff Bay, Asda Leckwith Road, Asda Pentwyn, Co-op Llanishen, Llandaff North Medical Centre, Lloyds Pharmacy Heol-Y-Deri, Morrisons Newport Road, Morrisons Ty Glas, Sainsbury’s Colchester Avenue, Sainsbury’s Thornhill, Tesco Western Avenue, Tesco Extra Culverhouse Cross, Tesco St Mellons, and Waitrose Pontprennau.
Development manager of the Cardiff foodbank Helen Bull said: “The reality is that yes it has affected us. Between more people being unemployed more have found themselves in a food crisis.
“We’re still primarily dealing with people who have a food shortage and vulnerable people but have partnered up with the council who are focusing on those self-isolating.
“They’ve also set up more distribution centres so people don’t have to travel as far across the city to pick up food.
“We have seen an inevitable drop in food donations but people are sending money which is great as we can go and re-stock our distribution centres.”
As well as food, the organisation also welcomes donations of toiletries and cleaning products.
Manager Mandy Haydon-Hall said they were in need of UHT milk, longlife juice, tinned meat and fish, tinned vegetables, and rice pudding or custard.
She also said shower gels, soap and household cleaning products were needed.
“We’ve seen our recent usage go up about four times,” she said. “Between March 23 and April 7 we’ve given out more than all of last April.
“When the isolation first came in we lost around 95% of our volunteers overnight.
“I have to say our community volunteers have been amazing, lots of people have come in to help.
“We’re keeping the team small so we can all socially distance but the whole community have been great.”
There are a lot of different items that Blaenau Gwent foodbank would be grateful for at the moment.
This includes UHT milk, coffee, tinned fish, tinned meat, tinned fruit and custard, tinned rice pudding, tinned sponge puddings, tinned potatoes, tinned carrots, tinned peas, tinned tomatoes, noodles/Pot Noodles, tinned soup, rice, jams, fruit juice and squash, curry and pasta sauces, biscuits, chocolate and childrens’ sweets, toiletries, and dog and cat pet food.
You can drop off donations at Tesco Ebbw Vale, Tesco Abertillery, Tesco Brynmawr, and Waitrose in Abergavenny.
Project manager Wayne Davies said before the crisis they had noticed fewer people needing to use the foodbank. “Now we have all sorts of people coming to us – people who can’t access food, people who can’t afford food.
“It’s affected us mainly in the sense that I’ve lost around 60% of my volunteers who are self-isolating.
“We can’t take new volunteers because the foodbanks are so small and to do so wouldn’t comply with social distancing – we have to be careful how we do things.
“UHT milk is one of the main things we need at the moment – that’s been difficult to get.”
Bridgend have enough beans, pasta, and tea bags but are in need of tinned meat and veg, long-life milk and squash, coffee and puddings.
You can drop off donations at the following locations: Sainsbury’s in The Derwen, Tesco Extra in Cowbridge Road, and the Co-op in Lias Road, Porthcawl.
Similarly to other centres they could do with some UHT milk and juice, some squash, coffee, and tinned meats.
Manager Jon Slocombe said: “Everybody has pulled together – the council and the community hubs have really stepped in.
“The pandemic has brought out the best in everybody. At the moment because we’re organised and have lots of help things are at a manageable level.”
You can drop off food at Tesco Extra in Cardiff Road.