In the last year, Cardiff Foodbank distributed 52% more food parcels than the previous year. This morning, some of our congregation went on a little shopping trip!
It’s early on a sunny May morning, and we’re off to the supermarket, cash in hand. Yes, we’ve got money to spend! It’s not our money, and we’re not buying anything for ourselves, for we’re financed by a generous donation for Cardiff Foodbank given by some members of our congregation. Potatoes and pasta, carrots and milk are lifted from the shelves by the tray full.
Since 2014, St Saviour’s Church in Splott has been one of Cardiff Foodbank’s Distribution Centres in Cardiff, and it was the first in Wales to offer an evening opening time aimed to help those work during the day.
There are two sessions, one on Wednesday afternoon and the other on Thursday evening and, like every Distribution Centre, they are staffed by a group of volunteers who give freely of their time.
Across the Churches of our Ministry Area, we also receive donated food each week , and despite the financial challenges that all of us face, people continue to generously donate items which then go to Foodbanks’ Warehouse before they are eventually distributed to the Distribution Centres across Cardiff.
Cardiff Foodbank recently released their stats on the number of emergency food parcels within our local community between April 2022 and March 2023.
The figures reveal that they have provided 19,253 emergency food parcels to people who couldn’t afford the essentials in Cardiff over the last year – and 7,639 (40%) of these went to children.
It’s the most parcels ever distributed by Cardiff Foodbank in a single year and represents a 52% increase compared to last year.
But the Trussell Trust Foodbanks don’t just distribute parcels of food to people in crisis. They also work to tackle the reasons why so many people find themselves needing their help.
For example, food banks across the Trussell Trust network are calling for MPs across the UK to support a social security system that guarantees our essentials, by making sure that the basic rate of Universal Credit is at least enough to afford the essentials we all need to live.
And so, we arrive back at St Saviour’s, with a car full of food, and where we are met by more volunteers who are busy cleaning and preparing the church for the Churches Unlocked festival at the beginning of June, when we will open our doors for a whole week of celebrations.
Our churches are committed to tackling issues of social injustice, and this is just one way in which we work in partnership with others.
Despite the cost of living, soaring prices, increasing bills, and so many challenges and difficulties, kindness and generosity remain in abundant supply People continue to respond to the needs of others, give of their time and their money.
If you would like to donate food to Cardiff Foodbank, then you can do so at any of the churches in the Ministry Area. You can also find out more about volunteering roles as well as how to help tackle Food Poverty at Cardiff Foodbank’s website
South Cardiff Ministry Area 