UP CLOSE IN PENARTH with Penarth FoodPod

By Ellyn Wright 17th Aug 2021

Local News by Ellyn Wright 17th Aug 2021

At Penarth Nub News we aim to support our community. We promote shops, businesses, charities, clubs and sports groups.

We have been profiling some of these businesses and organisations as well as the personalities who do their best to help others in a feature called 'Up Close in Penarth'.

Situated at St Luke's Avenue is the latest initiative helping Penarth residents in need.

Penarth FoodPod opened earlier this month, offering food, toiletries, and hygiene products on a 'pay as you can' basis.

"Although it's located on this estate, the FoodPod is for the whole of Penarth," explained Mark Ellis, Community Investment Officer for the Vale of Glamorgan Council.

"There aren't many shops around this area, and people have become more deprived through the pandemic.

"People think Penarth is affluent, but it's not the case for everyone. We're hoping that we can reach those in that situation with the FoodPod."

Since having the idea for the FoodPod nine months ago and bringing it to fruition, Mark has connected with FareShare and Fareshare Go to secure food supplies, alongside donations from supermarkets like Tesco, Asda and Morrisons.

As well as tackling the local need for affordable produce, the FoodPod is therefore helping reduce food waste. Mark also has ambitions to take this environmental aspect of the scheme even further.

"I'd like to arrange with local zero waste businesses," he told Nub News.

"Then, we want to make the estate cleaner and greener, so we'll be getting the children to come help build some planters.

"That way we can do 'pot to plate' produce by growing vegetables here.

Hopefully the kids on the estate will take ownership of that.

"They've been really keen to help out so far, helping to stock shelves and deliver leaflets. You can see the appetite to get involved is here.

"Any food we don't get through nearing its expiry date we'll then take to local hostels to ensure there's limited food waste."

The launch day held on Friday 6 August saw EggSeeds, a group that supports sustainable education projects in the area, collaborate with local children to carve a wooden sign for Penarth FoodPod.

The project has been organised by Vale Homes Clean Slate: Cleaner, Greener and Healthier program, with support from Helping Hands Penarth.

"It was such an exciting experience helping with volunteers and being involved in this new adventure," said Kathryn Easthope, founder of Helping Hands Penarth.

"This will be amazing for reducing waste and saving the pennies."

Penarth FoodPod is currently located in the cabin at St Luke's Avenue temporarily; there are plans to construct a building in a similar style to Big Bocs Bwyd, in Barry.

"There's a few things that we've got in the pipeline, but the main thing is that it is up and running now," said Mark.

"It's got to be something sustainable, that can last a long time for residents."

Those looking to help can donate food themselves to the FoodPod, but what they really need are volunteer drivers.

"At the moment I'm organising where we can get the produce from, and then driving round to all those locations myself to collect everything," explained Mark.

"What would be really helpful is two or three volunteers who would be willing to pick up the products and bring them here."