Newport Food Share project given help to buy van by housebuilder
A food share project that supports vulnerable people in Newport has been given help to buy a van by a regional housebuilder to continue its work.
The Food Share Project received £1,000 from Persimmon Homes West Midlands thanks to its Community Champions scheme, which has run since 2015.
The scheme is currently supporting groups that help the over-70s for the foreseeable future, with two donations of up to £1,000 available every month in the region.
Persimmon Homes West Midlands has built new homes in Newport at Meadow Grove, Wellington Road, and is currently building in the town at Oak Tree Gardens.
The Food Share Project is a climate change waste project operating in Shropshire under the umbrella organisation Connect Aid CIC. The purpose of the project is to work in partnership with food stores to collect and distribute surplus food before it goes for incineration.
Spokesperson Lea Beven said: “The Newport branch of the Food Share Project started earlier in the year thanks to Fiona Asson and her dedicated team.
"In March, we had to quickly adapt and become an outreach, supplying more than 100 vulnerable households in Newport with food parcels per week.
Refrigerated
“The branch had already been busy fundraising which had contributed towards the purchase, by the parent organisation, of a second-hand refrigerated former supermarket delivery van.
"It is being used to achieve the outreach deliveries and the chill facility enables the distribution of waste chilled food as well as the usual ambient food.
"This further donation from Persimmon Homes West Midlands means that the organisation can now buy the van outright, which is marvellous.”
David Greengrass, head of sales for Persimmon Homes West Midlands, said: “We try to support communities where we build, and the Newport branch of the Food Share Project is clearly providing an invaluable service. We are delighted to be able to support them in this way.”
As well as the Food Share Project, Newport has its own separate food bank which has been running for over seven years and has helped thousands of people.
To find out more information on Community Champions, or to nominate a charity or organisation that supports the over-70s, visit persimmonhomes.com/community-champions
