PRESS RELEASE
Tuesday 17th March 2020
Foodbank Centre opens at Bethesda Baptist Church in Neyland
On Friday the 13th of March, the Neyland Foodbank Centre had its official launch at the Bethesda Baptist Church, the location of the new Centre. This initiative is a partnership between the Neyland Churches Together and the Pembrokeshire Foodbank. The Pembrokeshire Foodbank currently manages a network of Foodbank Centres in; Haverfordwest, Pembroke Dock, Fishguard, Narberth and now Neyland. The Fishguard Foodbank Centre had its official opening on Tuesday the 10th of March.
Present at the launch of the Neyland Foodbank Centre was the Mayor of Neyland, Councillor William McGarvie, who officially opened the Centre, as well as a number of important local dignitaries and representatives of churches, referral agencies, charities, businesses and schools. The Centre has already received a generous donation from the Neyland Town Council enabling the purchase of shelving units for the stockroom. The Neyland Coop have installed a food donation basket in their supermarket. In addition, food and monetary donations have been received from well-wishers.
The Neyland Foodbank Centre will initially operate every Tuesday, between 9am and noon, out of the Community Rooms located at the back of the Bethesda Baptist Church. These Community Rooms are an exceptional community resource comprising the Mozaic Cafe, a hall, toilets, counselling rooms and the Foodbank Centre stockroom.
Ian Watling, Chair of Trustees of the Pembrokeshire Foodbank, said:
“We are excited to partner with the Neyland Churches Together in the setting up of a Foodbank Centre, serving the people of Neyland. 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.”
Ting Waygood, the newly appointed Supervisor of the Neyland Centre, added that the Neyland Foodbank team of volunteers are looking forward to offering a warm welcome to clients with vouchers from professionals in referral agencies, when the Foodbank Centre opens to referred clients from Tuesday the 24th of March.
Mrs Theri Bailey, Pembrokeshire Foodbank 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.’