Pobl Teams Delivering Food Parcels
Across Wales, Pobl have responded to the needs of vulnerable people during the current lockdown with speed and versatility, connecting with communities in a positive way. Our Floating Support teams are among those who have found new ways to really make a difference and are currently delivering hundreds of food parcels every week providing an essential lifeline to the outside world for many elderly, disabled and vulnerable people
According to the Food Standards Agency a fifth of people in Wales are worried about running out of food and 26% of 16-34-year-olds surveyed in Wales ran out of food in the past year. With that staggering statistic in mind, local foodbanks have been supporting families and individuals across Wales. This task has been made more difficult in the current environment.
The knock-on effect of the lockdown and its impact with more people staying at home and, in many cases, also having their salary negatively impacted, has seen increased demand on foodbanks.
This is how Pobl staff have been helping…
Caerphilly
Pobl Group, Supporting People and FareShare have come together to provide vulnerable people within the Caerphilly Borough with food parcels. FareShare is the UK’s national network of charitable food redistributors, taking good quality surplus food and getting it to frontline charities and community groups. The food is nutritious, in date and good to eat and will include fresh meat, dairy products, bakery items, fruit and vegetable and store cupboard items.
Pobl teams have created a hub that will deliver food parcels to vulnerable homes within the borough. We have worked together with Supporting People to arrange for food parcels to be delivered to these homes. The food items are being delivered to Maes-Y-Dderwen, one of Caerphilly’s supported accommodation schemes, and then being sorted into parcels by Caerphilly’s Floating Support team.
How it works:
Individuals and families who are struggling during this difficult time contact Supporting People who then pass the details onto Pobl’s Floating Support Team.
The team will arrange for a food parcel to be delivered to customers’ homes. All deliveries are contactless, and the team wear full PPE where necessary to prevent the spread of the virus.
Within the first week of launching this scheme, 12 homes were delivered fresh food already. We hope that by providing people with fresh ingredients, we will ease the stress for families and individuals during these difficult times.
Bargoed
Every Monday, our Community Support Team, have been volunteering and helping with the food share that is delivered to the YMCA Centre in Bargoed.
The food delivered to the centre needs to be unloaded and organised first before individual parcels are created.
The team deliver food parcels out to vulnerable people throughout the Caerphilly Borough. Kelly Tilley (Community Support Worker based in Lansbury Park) said:
“This is a fantastic service and its good to see people come together to ensure these parcels are delivered to those in need. I am proud that I have been able to offer my help and support.”
Cardiff
Through developing a really positive working relationship with Cardiff Foodbank over recent weeks and leading on co-ordinating foodbank vouchers, collections and delivering urgently needed food, Cardiff team were given 11 additional gift baskets for families with small children with a range of things to occupy them whilst they are self-isolating at home.
Vale of Glamorgan
Staff across the teams in the Vale have pulled together to not only keep the services we provide going and ensure everyone being supported still feel connected but actively working alongside the foodbanks.
The teams are supporting the local foodbank by helping to deliver food to families and people who are self-isolating to ensure they do not go without and still feel connected to the community, this is proving to be a positive and welcome service.
Powys
South Powys team has worked closely with Ystradgynlais foodbank to set up an emergency operation, running out of the local St Johns building. The foodbank had previously been closed due to Coronavirus and they had needed somewhere else to set up. This is now providing some much-needed support to the people of South Powys and our customers.
