Sainsbury’s café and Greggs in Bridgend have donated all leftover food to local homelessness charity Emmaus South Wales before closing due to the current coronavirus outbreak.
The two businesses offered their support to the charity, which helps people who have experienced homelessness, by donating perishable food before temporarily closing.
Emmaus South Wales shut its five charity shops in Bridgend and the Vale of Glamorgan following the Government’s announcement on Monday 23rd March, which issued stricter measures and ordered all shops selling non-essential goods to close.
The charity’s five shops, which sell second-hand furniture, household goods and clothing, generate the funding needed to offer formerly homeless people a place to live for as long as needed and the opportunity to gain work experience by helping in the shops.
Jemma Wray, Chief Executive at Emmaus South Wales, said:
“While we are of course concerned with the financial impact of closing our shops, our number one priority has always been the people we support, and our volunteers, staff and the local community. We are taking it day by day to maintain our community house in Nant Lais, which currently is home to 16 people.
“It has been increasingly difficult to find everything we need in local supermarkets, especially for the amount of people we are supporting. That is why we are so grateful for the donations from Sainsbury’s café at McArthur Glen and the Adare Street Greggs.
“On behalf of everyone at Emmaus South Wales, I would like to say thank you to both businesses as well as Steve Morris, Managing Director at M&M Catering Equipment, for lending us a chest freezer to store the food. It is very much appreciated, especially in uncertain times like these.”
Emmaus South Wales has launched an emergency fundraising appeal to help support its work during the coronavirus outbreak. To donate, visit www.emmaus.org.uk/south-wales/covid-donations and to donate food, call 01656 750829.
