St David’s Dewi Sant Cardiff has launched a new Community Collection Bank for guests to donate food and hygiene products to those in need.
The new St David’s drop-off point will support Cardiff Foodbank and has been unveiled at the city shopping centre. The St David’s Community Collection Bank is located at the Guest Services point on the Upper Level of the Grand Arcade, close to Starbucks, Berskha and Stradivarius, during the centre’s opening hours.
Hygiene items which can be donated include period products, soap, shampoo, deodorant, toothbrushes and hairbrushes. Food produce for donation ranges from tins and packets of soup, tomatoes, vegetables, fruit, beans, meat and fish to dried pasta, rice, UHT milk, biscuits and cereal. Guests can also donate household and baby items at the Community Collection Bank such as nappies, wipes, toilet rolls, washing-up liquid, laundry detergent and hand sanitisers.
All donated items must be non-perishable, in date as well as unopened, in the original packaging and not gift wrapped. All items donated at the St David’s Community Collection Bank will go to Cardiff Foodbank to make up emergency food parcels.
Helen Morgan, Centre Director at St David’s, said: “With the cost of living crisis and rising demand for food banks, we wanted to do more to support the local community. By introducing the Community Collection Bank, we’re hoping to make donating to food banks more accessible in the city centre and to contribute towards the invaluable service that Cardiff Foodbank provides. We invite our guests to look out for the collection point if they’re shopping in the city and to consider buying an extra item or two to donate if they can.”
Mark Tugwell, logistics manager of Cardiff Foodbank, commented: “We are really pleased to be working with St David’s Cardiff and thankful for their willingness to host a collection point for us. In a space of just six months, we have seen a 42% increase in demand for our support and we are expecting this to increase as we see the impact of the cost-of-living crisis. A collection point in St David’s will make it more accessible for people to donate and support those in need across the city. We want to see a city where no-one goes hungry and we’re working with the Trussell Trust to campaign, so everyone has enough money to afford the essentials. But while we are needed, we will continue to do our part to support anyone who needs our help. We will be extremely grateful for any donations that we received via this collection point.”
