Volunteers and supporters of foodbanks from across Caerphilly county borough were brought together last week to discuss the growing demand for their services.
Last year more than 79,000 people in Wales were fed by foodbanks, with one third of those users being children. It signals a stark rise from 2012, when foodbank users in Wales totalled 36,000.
Representatives from the county borough’s foodbanks and their local supermarket supporters met officers from Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Town Centre Management Team last week to discuss the issues facing the county borough’s foodbank users. Special guest for the meeting was Tony Graham, Wales Manager for the Trussell Trust, the charity responsible for setting up foodbanks around the UK.
Caerphilly county borough currently has four food banks, three operated by the Trussell Trust in New Tredegar, Blackwood, and Risca, while the foodbank resource in Caerphilly is operated by the Bridging the Gap initiative.
In order to address the growing demand for foodbank services across the county borough, Caerphilly County Borough Council has worked with The Trussell Trust to set up partnerships with local supermarkets to encourage local people to donate items of food.
As well as urgently seeking food, the meeting was told that many county borough foodbank users were also in need of additional information from organisations such as Citizens Advice Bureau, Drugaid, Gamblers Anonymous, DSS, while there were also requests for support for domestic abuse and mental health issues. In many cases foodbank volunteers had actively supported users in liaising with these organisations.
Cllr Ken James, Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Planning & Sustainable Development, attend the meeting. He said: “I am both amazed and dismayed that we are in a position where foodbanks need to exist in 2014 – it is the harshest indicator of the severe financial challenges facing people and families across the UK.
”I am, however, extremely encouraged to hear that partnership working and good will is going such a long way to addressing the poverty issues affecting our food bank users here in Caerphilly county borough.”
Tony Graham, Wales Manager for the Trussell Trust, said: “As a Caerphilly resident I am encouraged to see the council working in partnership with the Trussell Trust, other charities and local businesses to support and care for the most vulnerable in society.
“Although foodbanks across Wales have seen a massive increase in demand recently we are amazed at the good will and generosity of ordinary members of the public. We cannot thank enough those individuals who donate food towards our projects. We will continue to look after those who are hungry amongst us while working towards a day when solutions are found to the increasing challenge of food poverty.“
For more information on the county borough’s foodbanks please visit www.trusselltrust.co.uk or contact Andrew Highway, Town Centre Development Manager at Caerphilly County Borough Council, on 01443 866213.
