Free Breakfast Club for Llanelli Children

YOUNG children in Llanelli are existing on just one meal a day, a town councillor revealed this week.
Labour Lliedi ward councillor Andrew Bragoli said he was shocked to discover the scale of the ‘hidden’ problem of food poverty and potential neglect suffered by children as young as seven.

‘As a councillor you hear a lot of stories but I know for a fact, from trustworthy sources, that this terrible situation is happening in my ward, and in other parts of Llanelli.
‘I was shocked to discover the frequency of it. A number of children, some as young as seven, eat a meal just once a day – and that is the free meal they have at school,’ he said.

Fears children have ‘little to eat’

Councillor Bragoli said he feared that without that free school meal the children would have little to eat.
To tackle the food poverty crisis – and to help other struggling families – and provide a friendly, social setting for parents and children of all income levels, he and fellow Labour ward councillor Shaun Greaney have set up a free breakfast club for children, and parents/guardians, at Penygaer Community Hub – the recently adapted and renovated changing rooms improved by the town council with the help of a £250,000 Welsh Government grant.

Councillor Greaney said: ‘The building now has a fully functional kitchen and a separate dining/meeting room so we can run our free breakfast club in the school holidays.

‘With help from a small team of dedicated and willing volunteers, we are appealing for as many people to turn up and tuck into free breakfast foods and drinks this Wednesday, February 26, and Friday, February 28, from 10am to 12 mid-day
on both days.

Everyone welcome thanks to generosity of Morrisons

‘Everyone is welcome as far as we are concerned. We have been able to make this happen thanks to the generosity of Llanelli Morrisons, and its community champion Julia Jones, and Trostre Llanelli’s Lisa Lewis.

‘The community group we are part of, Caru Lliedi, has had a grant from the town council, which has been useful for the breakfast club.’
Councillor Bragoli said: ‘Our funders have been wonderful. With more funds we would love to put the breakfast club and free food on for more days during the holidays and help feed the children. ‘They are our future.’ Any surplus food will be donated to local schools for pupils who need it, he added.

Unacceptable – children go without food

Councillor Greaney said: ‘ It’s unacceptable that children are having to go without food in the 21st Century in this country.
‘We have to do all we can to tackle this stain on our nation. The Lliedi ward is one of the poorest wards in Carmarthenshire, and Carmarthenshire is one of the poorest parts of Great Britain.

‘Lack of food is known to affect children’s health, their concentration levels and behaviour at school, and, ultimately, their life chances and potential longevity.

‘I would urge as many people to do what they can to help as possible. Please help the children who are in need.

‘My father was born in the Second World War and grew up as one of six children on the council estate in Townhill, Swansea. He told me times were so tough his sister would eat the moss between the cracks in the pavement – she was so hungry.

‘Those days of hardship and outright poverty must be banished to the history books never to return.

‘Please volunteer to help out at local foodbanks, give money to fundraisers, or donate items of food.

‘To use a certain phrase – every little bit helps. If we rally round as a community we can make a difference.
‘That’s why the town council gives grants to foodbanks.”

Mayor chooses foodbank as his charity

Town mayor John Prosser has chosen the Tyisha Foodbank in Station Road, as one of his charities of the year.
‘He has organised a fundraising concert at the Selwyn Samuel Centre starring popular drag entertainer Ceri Dupree on April 4, at 7pm.
There will be a raffle and an auction for the foodbank which will jointly benefit from funds raised at the evening with the charity Marie Curie.
Tickets for the event priced at £15 are available from Llanelli Town Council offices at The Old Vicarage, Town Hall Square, Llanelli.