Getting Food To Those Who Need It
Romy Flynn to COVID-19 Mutual Aid UK St Davids and surrounding areas:
Great News Food Alert! Ahoy, good folk, it’s been quite a week on the food front . Escalating needs and some confusion with local initiatives already formed and forming means we have desperately needed collaboration and coherence.
Thankfully, local Minister Eluned Morgan and her team have been liaising with us, enabling hoops to be jumped through, and as of now there is a new community food support pod launching (details below) in the St Davids town hall. Hoorah! (Thank you, councillors!)
I want to emphasize that nobody has their personal or political dabs on this. It’s OUR community food hub supporting as many people on the peninsula as possible who can’t afford decent nourishment for their households.
For clarity, we are still discovering more existing setups doing this vital work and will be collaborating with them to avoid crossover and wastage.
The food donation and drop-off places will remain the same, i.e. the food-selling garages, CK’s, the Artramont Arms and Trefacwn.
It has touched me deeply to witness the heart of this community through the amount of food donations (homegrown and shop purchased), the sweet and easy willingness of people jumping in to sort, pack, deliver and collect. Also that same spirit expressed by some, obviously struggling, who have turned food away in order that those with more of an acute need receive it, some of whom have actually shoved cash in my hand (or, rather, thrown it over the wall!)
What a testament for love burning through the self-created nonsense we so often put up to block the collaborative heart flow.
For these extraordinary days and surely those going forward, it has become all too clear how precious and crucial our relationships are in a functioning and sustainable community – in this case, the very fundamental matter of all of us wanting to make sure everyone has some food on their plate.
On a practical note, it’s clear that a fair few who can’t get out to give food would like to donate cash – which is hugely valued as it enables more fresh food to be added to the boxes.
We will have details of how and where to donate very soon , so watch this space .
Apologies for the ramble , I’m just feeling more grateful than ever to be living in this blessed pocket of the world, witnessing us come even closer together when it really matters . ? Romy Flynn
Information about accessing the St Davids and Fishguard Food Pod
This new group has been set up to provide food support during the Covid-19 crisis. It has been formed out of two groups operating in the peninsula from St Davids through to Fishguard, and everywhere between.
The group has a Facebook page called St David’s and Fishguard Food Pod.
The group treats all enquiries in the strictest confidence and can deliver food parcels to people’s homes. It will of course observe social distancing at all times, and asks you to do the same.
Those who need other support or are having difficulty in isolation, such as needing help with shopping or collection of medicines etc, can be helped through the St Davids Covid-19 UK group or Fishguard Mutual Aid and Goodwick Mutual Aid groups.
They can arrange for volunteers to contact you. Please note that new volunteers are always welcome.
We are informed that anyone in need of food support in the St Davids area should message Louise Tarbuck on Facebook or call her on 01437 729321.
To access help in Fishguard and Goodwick and as far as Dinas and Letterston please message Fishguard and Goodwick Food Support and Fishguard and Goodwick Community Fridge or phone Lesley Matthews (of the Community Fridge) on 07769602901.
If you have friends or family who don’t have the internet, please give them Lesley’s number for Fishguard or Louise’s number for St Davids.
We have been asked to convey a huge thank you to everyone for their support and to let you know that donation and collection baskets have been set up at as many places we can reach in and between Fishguard and St Davids.
Please note that if you would like to leave donations in Goodwick, Fishguard, they can be left in the following places:
The boot of the blue green Peugeot next to cement mixer in Seaview Crescent, Goodwick SA64 0AZ.
The boat in the garden of 23 parc y cefn, Pen Wallis, Fishguard SA65 9HU (Marie’s place)
Plus Tesco, Fishguard Post Office, The Whole Food and Healing shop in Fishguard and Goodwick PO.
For the St Davids area: CKs, Ocean Haze, Stop & Call, Letterston Spar, and at the home of Louise Tarbuck, 23 New Street.
All donations are guaranteed to reach local people.
