This week, Rhun ap Iorwerth visited the hard-working volunteers of a new food bank established during the lock-down period.

In co-operation with Isle of Anglesey County Council, the Anglesey Foodbank has expanded from Holyhead to a temporary location at Llangefni Church Hall. The new food bank opens the door to individuals and families who are unable to buy food, and is open from 10-2 every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. They also transport goods across the island, in order to assist those people in need who cannot easily travel to Holyhead or Llangefni.

This new food bank was set up as a result of the increase in the number of people needing assistance to put food on the table during the lockdown period. Medrwn Môn’s swift and effective response calling for community volunteers to engage with people who may need support within their local areas meant that it became clear how there are more people than ever before living in poverty on Anglesey.

Roy Files, one of the founders of the Food Bank, said: “The need for food aid increased significantly over the lock-down period. The number of referrals that came in daily during the lock-down period, were equivalent to what we were used to receiving in a week before the pandemic struck.

“At the moment the demand for the service has settled down again, somewhat, but an increase demand is loomed. We anticipate a rapid increase again if Anglesey goes into local lockdown, and winter also brings its problems given people’s needs over the Christmas period too.”

To help support Anglesey Food Bank, Rhun ap Iorwerth will once again be running his annual ‘Reverse Advent Calendar’ campaign in collaboration with workplaces and schools across the island, where people can contribute grocery items leading up to the Christmas period which will then be donated to the foodbank.

Rhun ap Iorwerth said: “This year again, we hope to be able to work with Primary and Secondary Schools on the island, as well as workplaces across Ynys Mon to take part in the annual Reverse Advent Calendar campaign where we encourage everyone who can to donate grocery items in December and over the Advent period, before we then arrange for everything to be shared with the Food Bank, and be distributed to local residents who cannot buy food or toiletries.”

If you are interested in being part of this year’s Reverse Advent Calendar campaign, please contact Rhun ap Iorwerth’s Constituency Office on: 01248 723 599 or email: rhun.apiorwerth@senedd.cymru