The co-ordinator of a Cardiff food charity says it’s time for the government to step up and start dealing with food poverty and not leave it to charities to deal with the problem.
Community groups and charities are being left to fill the gap in food provision for the very poorest in society, according to a co-ordinator of a Cardiff food charity.
The Bute Town Community Centre runs a weekly food pantry to make food accessible to everyone and it’s project co-ordinator Kervin Julien believes that…
“They’ve literally handed over the problem of food poverty to food banks and washed their hands now. And now they can just forget all these what they call normal politics but it hasn’t dealt with the issue. And now it’s down to stores and charities like ourselves to fill this huge gap that was created especially in the height of the pandemic.”
After experiencing the pandemic, the volunteers witnessed how the poor and homeless in Cardiff struggled to survive during that time. In response to their different needs, a food pantry was established to cater to the diverse needs of the community—something that is not found in other parts of Wales.
Kervin Julien said, “I really feel for the people that live here, it’s one of the poorest communities in Wales, and it’s always at the bottom of the begging bowl.” He has been dedicated to addressing the issue of food poverty in the UK since 2008 and has a deep understanding of how long and severe the problem of food poverty is in this country.
In the living room of the community centre, most of the people seeking food services are elderly. They sit together, drinking tea and chatting, while waiting for the food. “Well you can see too many people coming here for the service, and this is a good event for the people who are facing food poverty, as they can take away a lot of food,” said Gema Borrego, a volunteer.
Some of the volunteers are retired, but they choose to spend their time here to serve the community. The food here is all donated and sold by date, for just three to four pounds, people can get a substantial amount of food, rather than just one or two items.
“I love my volunteers, they are the face of our service, the commitment and passion that they show towards what we do here just really fills my heart with joy because volunteering is not an easy thing, but it’s the most important thing that you can do in your life is to give the best,” said Kervin Julien.