Skates calls for help to set up foodbank

* Ken  Skates with volunteers at a recent collection at
Tesco in Cefn Mawr.

ASSEMBLY Member Ken Skates is calling for community groups to help him set up a foodbank in his Clwyd South constituency.

Mr Skates is keen for more of the volunteer-run projects to open across Wrexham and Denbighshire in conjunction with national charity the Trussell Trust.

He said: “Every day people in Clwyd South and across Wales are going hungry. Trussell Trust foodbanks provide three-day emergency supply parcels with nutritionally balanced food, but they can only continue to do so with the support of the public and community groups.

“Rising costs of food, fuel and energy drinks combined with static income, high unemployment and changes to benefits are causing more and more people to go to foodbanks for help.

“The Trussell Trust forms partnerships with churches and community groups to open new foodbanks and currently has almost 400 in operation nationwide, including centres in Oswestry, Rhosddu, Mold and Denbigh. Their goal is for every town to have one, and I feel strongly that we need a foodbank in the heart of Clwyd South.”

Mr Skates added: “Sadly, schemes like this are becoming more widespread, but some 13 million people are currently living below the poverty line in the UK and food poverty is rising under the Tory-led Westminster Government.

“I have long been a supporter of the amazing work the Trussell Trust does and the fantastic work the volunteers do, and would love to see a centre up and running in my constituency.

“If anyone would like to discuss the possibility of setting one up in Clwyd South I would urge them to contact me by emailing Ken.Skates@Wales.gov.uk or by calling my office on 01978 869058, and we can take it from there.”

For more information visit www.trusselltrust.org/foodbank-projects.