PRESS RELEASE
- Tuesday 10th March 2020
- Foodbank Centre opens at Bethel English Baptist Church in Fishguard
Today, Tuesday the 10th of March, the Fishguard Foodbank Centre had its official launch at the Bethel English Baptist Church, the location of the new Centre. This initiative is a partnership between the Bethel English Baptist Church and the Pembrokeshire Foodbank, who currently manage a network of Foodbank Centres in Haverfordwest, Pembroke Dock and Narberth.
Present at the launch of the Fishguard Foodbank Centre was the Mayor of Fishguard, Councillor Jordan Ryan, who officially opened the Centre, as well as a number of important local dignitaries and representatives of churches, referral agencies, charities, businesses and schools. Kate Gronow, Area Manager, represented the Trussell Trust as Pembrokeshire Foodbank is part of its National Network. The Centre has already received a generous donation from the Fishguard Roundtable enabling the purchase of shelving units for the stockroom. In addition, food and monetary donations have been received from well wishers.
The Fishguard Foodbank Centre will operate every Thursday, between 11am and 2pm, out of the newly refurbished vestry, located at the back of the Bethel English Baptist Church.
Ian Watling, Chair of Trustees of the Pembrokeshire Foodbank, said:
“We are excited to partner with Bethel English Baptist Church in the setting up of a Foodbank Centre, serving the people of North Pembrokeshire. We’re committed to ensuring that those in our County, who are without enough money for food, are able to access local emergency support. This vital work throughout Pembrokeshire is only possible because of the incredible generosity shown by local people in donating food, time and money of which Pembrokeshire Foodbank is very grateful .”
Richard Rogers, the Supervisor of the Fishguard Centre added;
”As the Fishguard Centre Supervisor, I am delighted at how well Pembrokeshire Foodbank has been welcomed and supported in Fishguard. Our Foodbank team could not be supportive of those who are vulnerable in this local community, without the amazing groups of people who week in and week out and at key points in the year donate food, toiletries, cleaning products, women’s items and finance. A huge, huge thank you to you all.”
Staffed by experienced volunteers, the Fishguard Foodbank Centre offers a warm welcome to all. As well as providing emergency food packages to clients referred through professional services, it also provides confidential advice and support on welfare and social issues.
Hot drinks and a lunchtime soup are served in the cafe area of the vestry free of charge, along with a wide range of fresh foods such as bakery items and fruit and vegetables that need consuming because they are close to their ‘best before’ expiry date. These items are donated weekly by the Foodbank’s FareShare partners, including TESCOS Express in Goodwick and are available to anyone in the community free of charge as a scheme to reduce food waste.
Whilst today was it’s official launch, the Fishguard Foodbank Centre has actually already run a skeleton service for the past month and a ‘Pilot Project’ was conducted over the Christmas period with the Fishguard Health Visitors.
Mrs Theri Bailey, Pembrokeshire Foodbank Centre Manager, concluded;
‘Whilst we all want to live in a society where foodbanks aren’t needed, the current situation is that food poverty remains a real issue for some people. We will therefore continue to partner with referral agencies and other concerned groups to provide vital, compassionate support to ensure that those people in our community, without enough money for food, are helped.’