FareShare Cymru and Neath Port Talbot CVS have come together to keep foodbanks stocked as they struggle for donations in the wake of Covid-19.
Since the effects of Coronavirus and the lockdown have taken hold, foodbanks have seen demand for their services surge even as they’ve seen a drop in donations. FareShare Cymru are a charity based in Cardiff that redistribute unwanted food stock from supermarket suppliers and other businesses to other charities and community groups, and they’ve linked up with NPTCVS (the County Voluntary Council for the Neath Port Talbot area) to make sure this food goes where it’s needed.
So far they’ve distributed an enormous one ton of food to local food banks and hubs in the area, but more will be needed as the Covid-19 crisis continues to leave families that were already in precarious situations without an income to feed their families.
Gemma Richards at NPTCVS said: ‘We were contacted by FareShare Cymru mid-March who informed us that they were offering one ton of food to be redistributed to local food banks and hubs in our area. We spent some time contacting all of the food banks and hubs in Neath Port Talbot to get an idea of which groups were still operating.
‘We have continued to keep in touch with the groups regularly to offer additional support – from further donations of FareShare Cymru and local supermarkets to sharing information about food-specific grants available. It would be great to give some recognition to the food banks and hubs across Neath Port Talbot – they’ve adjusted the ways in which they deliver their services to ensure food parcels are delivered to individuals who would otherwise go without.’
The challenges still faced by individual families and the voluntary sector in the wake of COVID-19 may be numerous, but at least we know that a spirit of good-will and a desire to find solutions to our problems aren’t in short supply.