Helping Vale people in crisis: New Foodbank to open in Dinas Powys (From Barry And District News)

Helping Vale people in crisis: New Foodbank to open in Dinas Powys

8:20am Monday 10th September 2012 in News

A NEW foodbank is set to open in Dinas Powys, to help members of the community in need.

Every week a new foodbank opens in Britain, as more people find themselves unable to make ends meet.

Since its launch in October 2011, the Vale Foodbank based in Barry has provided free emergency food parcels to almost 1,600 local people, 630 of whom were children.

And Susan Lloyd-Selby, the foodbank co-ordinator, said they have seen a 'dramatic increase' in demand as frontline care professionals refer more of their clients.

"Since April this year we have supported 110 local people who are in employment but on low income and struggling to cope," she said.

"We have also noticed a significant increase in the number of people whose benefit payments have been delayed - in many instances leaving them with no money to buy food for their children.

"We want to make it as easy as possible for people to get to a foodbank near them, and we are delighted to be opening our next centre in Dinas Powys where - like other areas across the Vale at the moment - there is a lot of hidden hunger. It will also closer for people from Penarth."

The new distribution centre will be in Bethesda Chapel, Fairoaks, Dinas Powys.

It will be officially launched by Vale of Glamorgan AM Jane Hutt at 1.30pm on September 12, and will be open every Wednesday from 1.30pm to 2.30pm.

Foodbank vouchers can also be exchanged for food in the Coastlands centre in Barry (open Mondays 2-3pm and Thursdays 4.30-6pm).

Mike Grove, a spokesperson for the Dinas Powys centre, said: "Bethesda has supported the foodbank since it opened, with volunteers and donations of food.

"The new centre will allow us to do even more for local people in crisis and we are looking forward to its launch. We are particularly pleased that Jane Hutt will be able to attend as she has always been a great support to the Vale Foodbank."

Donations of dried and tinned goods are urgently required and can be made at either centre during opening hours.

Vale Foodbank:

* The Vale foodbank helps local individuals and families in the Vale who are in crisis, through the provision of free emergency food supplies.

* As a registered charity, the Vale foodbank is part of a franchise of 190 foodbanks across the UK

* Food is seen as a catalyst for change by providing emergency food immediately to meet a crisis situation with some practical help, while care professionals look at longer-term strategies

* Food is given to people in crisis identified by front line care professionals - Health Visitors, Doctors, Social Workers, Church and Community Workers. The Foodbank has 33 distribution partners in the Vale

* The foodbank is an initiative of The Trussell Trust, a Christian based organisation, committed to launching life changing, community-based projects.