Brecon Foodbank has received a welcome boost, with a donation from Wales & West Utilities providing enough supplies to support local families for the next two weeks.
The donation comes at a time when foodbanks are facing increasing pressure, with donations being squeezed by the cost of living crisis, while demand for support continues to rise.
As Wales & West Utilities has completed this year's programme of gas pipe upgrades in the town, the gas emergency and pipeline service wanted to give something back to the local community and thank residents for their patience and understanding while the essential work has been ongoing.
Based at St John’s Family Centre in Pendre, Brecon Foodbank opens on Tuesdays and Fridays, providing vital support to local people.
Mandy Chambers, Warehouse Supervisor at Brecon Foodbank, said:
“The cost of living crisis is affecting us all, and this year we have seen a drop in food donations, compared to the same period last year. While still supporting a similar amount of people in our community, assistance like this is so important.
“The cold winter months are fast approaching and this time of year brings increased pressure on families, who increasingly turn to our foodbank for help. We are very grateful for the support from Wales & West Utilities.”
Wales & West Utilities has just finished work in the St. Michael’s area. This project is part of wider work to invest over £2.2 million over the next few years to upgrade gas pipes across Brecon. The intensive programme of wider mains replacement works will see over 7,700 metres of gas pipes upgraded across the area as the company upgrades the critical energy infrastructure in the area to benefit approximately local customers.
The support to Brecon Foodbank is part of the company’s commitment to creating a positive social impact in the communities where it works.
Wales & West Utilities’ Andrew Coleman is managing the gas pipe upgrade programme and said:
“We always look for ways to give back to the communities that are impacted by our essential work and our engineers are delighted that we’ve been able to support Brecon Foodbank.
“This time of year, particularly, is very busy and we are happy that this small donation will allow the foodbank a bit of breathing space so that it can continue to provide this lifeline of support to local people.”
Wales & West Utilities is expected to return to Brecon during summer next year, when work will take place along Bridge Street, The Avenue and Cerrigcochion Road.
For more information about work in your area, visit www.wwutilities.co.uk/gas-pipe-upgrade-projects/. As projects begin, customers can also find out what to expect from the work at www.wwutilities.co.uk/services/gas-pipe-upgrades/.
If you have further queries about the project, our Customer Service Team is here to help. You can call us free on 0800 912 2999, message us on X (@WWUtilities), or visit our Facebook page at facebook.com/wwutilities.
Wales & West Utilities is the gas emergency and pipeline service, delivering energy to over 7.5 million people across Wales and the south west of England. We don’t sell gas; we transport it through an extensive underground network of more than 35,000 kilometres of pipes.
If you smell gas or suspect carbon monoxide, call the National Gas Emergency number on 0800 111 999 immediately. Trained engineers are available 24/7 to respond and keep you safe.