Council distributes food parcels

Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council has already started to distribute the first batch of weekly food parcels to residents who have been told to stay at home by their GPs.

The service is a coordinated effort between the Department for Communities, Council and local community groups aimed at ensuring those advised to ‘shield’ (stay indoors) by their GP can get the food they need to survive.

It is understood 250 food parcels were delivered to the WJ Mayes Hall in Craigavon Civic Centre on Tuesday, April 7, and it’s understood Council is to receive 1,056 parcels a week from the scheme.

Each parcel weighs approximately eight kilograms and contains tinned and dried food, fresh fruit, bread and soap.

Speaking about the scheme, the council’s Lord Mayor, SDLP Councillor Mealla Campbell, welcomed the delivery and said Council will be working with local foodbanks to ensure those in need get the parcels quickly.

“In coordinating and distributing the parcels to our local foodbanks we aim to to support the community effort to reach the most vulnerable across the ABC area,” said the Lord Mayor.

“Our six existing local foodbank schemes in Armagh, Brownlow, Portadown, Lurgan, Banbridge and Dromore will provide onward delivery of the food parcels to two key groups; those who have been issued with shielding letters by their GP and those who are not shielding but are in critical need of food.

“One of our main priorities as a council is to protect our residents and particularly those families who need that additional support at this time.

“The provision of these food parcels will help those people who are unable to leave the house to shop and those who are struggling to access food.”

She continued: “Each foodbank has been assigned a council officer who is in daily contact with them to support their efforts and I would like to commend our Community Development team and our staff on the frontline who are working hard to manage this scheme alongside local volunteers.

“Our officers have a system to monitor demand, manage supply and ensure we support home deliveries at this unprecedented and difficult time.

“These food parcels are a vital part of our Covid-19 response and I am pleased Council has mobilised to roll this scheme out with immediate effect and that parcels are already on their way to our residents.

“As a council, we will continue to support the most vulnerable in our community and our Community Engagement Hub is continuing to provide information and advice to residents and local Covid-19 response volunteers.”

DUP Councillor Mark Baxter said: “We are certainly living in unprecedented times and, over the last number of weeks, our local DUP reps have been inundated with requests for help from those who are isolating or unable to leave the house.

“These packages… will help those most in need and I’ve no doubt the resolve of local people will shine through and we will come out of this more united and stronger – brighter times lie ahead.”

Sinn Fein’s Catherine Nelson also welcomed the delivery and urged those who are in need, to reach out for help.

“We need to target those in need, particularly those in receipt of a shielding letter from their GP and who are in critical need of food and/or have limited access to services,” said Councillor Nelson.

“We are working out the logistics of this with Council. However, if you are in need of food for any reason please reach out to us, your local community association/sporting club or your local foodbank.”

The Ulster Unionist Party’s Julie Flaherty praised the Department and said the deliveries will be a “great comfort and benefit” to those who are shielding.

She said. “These weekly packages will go a long way to supporting those in the greatest need, at the moment.”

“Those vulnerable people in our community who have received shielding letters will find this of great comfort and benefit.

“This will also complement the great work already being done by our huge network of local community groups who are out on the ground assisting with the many challenges this pandemic has thrown at us.”

The Alliance Party’s Eoin Tennyson thanked everyone who has made the scheme a reality: “This scheme showcases the wealth of community spirit and solidarity in our borough and I’d like to place on record our sincere thanks to all the staff and volunteers who are making this possible.