AS HOUSEHOLDS across Gwent prepare for an unprecedented rise in their energy bills from April, one Newport-based foodbank has urged those struggling to come forward and get the help they need.
Feed Newport, which has been helping some of the city’s most vulnerable with meals and food parcels throughout the pandemic, says that the spike in energy bills was “incredibly worrying” and that it was “heart-breaking” that some people would be forced to choose between heating homes or eating.
It follows the announcement earlier this week by Ofgem, the UK’s energy regulator, that the average household energy bill would rise by almost £700 after it increased the spending cap – the amount providers can charge per unit – by 54 per cent.
On a visit to its Cultural Food Hub on Commercial Road in Pill on Friday, Feed Newport manager Gem Walker told the Argus that they would try and support those struggling as much as they could.
“We’ve been incredibly busy through covid and had a busy Christmas,” Ms Walker said.
“We’ve noticed ourselves that the price of food has gone up drastically so we understand that yesterday’s news will come as a huge worry to many.
“We know that there are working families that will be out there struggling, that might not want to come to a foodbank to get help because of the stigma that surrounds them.
“A lot of people will feel like they’ve let themselves down if they have to turn to places like us.”
But Ms Walker stressed that if anybody finds themselves in a difficult situation because of the spike in energy prices, they should know that it’s OK to ask for help.
“That’s my top tip to people,” Ms Walker added.
“Please if you are struggling just ask for help – because at the end of the day, we’ll all need it.”
And when it comes to getting the most for your money from the weekly food shop, Ms Walker said that a good place to start was by ditching branded foods.
“I couldn’t afford to keep buying Heinz baked beans,” she said.
“I’d say to everybody that’s buying branded products – by the shops own branded things. They’ll be much cheaper.
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“Batch cooking is also another great idea for saving money – buy things that you can freeze, products that have longevity. A bag of pasta is going to cost you much less and last much longer than a pot noodle.
“Also, pop into the supermarkets at the end of the day if you’re able to – that’s when many of them will put huge reductions on many of their products – and some of those you’ll also be able to freeze.”
Ms Walker also encouraged anybody that was in receipt of Universal Credit or a pension to make use of their Community Shop.
“We want to get more people coming to the community shop for sure – we think that can really be of benefit to people.
“We do a £3.50 deal where we provide people with products that can make up a meal – not just random bits and bobs.”
Feed Newport says it also provides people with budgeting advice to help them make the most of what they spend of their food shops, as well as signposting people towards various different avenues of support.
But Ms Walker admits that there is concern about how the hike in energy bills will affect the running of the foodbank.
“Obviously we get a lot of donations from the public,” she added.
“I’d say about nine out of ten of the donations we receive are from the public – they basically fill our foodbank, so there is a worry that if people are having to cut back, our donations might also drop.”
Set up by Tariq Khan in February 2020, Feed Newport came close closing at the beginning of the pandemic because it was struggling to pay the rent for its premises.
Thankfully, Welsh football star Aaron Ramsey stepped in to rescue the charity, providing enough money to cover the rent of its hub for a year.
- This is one of a series of 'Our City' features looking at Newport and the people who call it home.
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