BLAENAVON Town Council has agreed to donate £600 to two foodbanks in the run-up to Christmas.
Of the 5,688 food parcels handed out in Torfaen during 2016/17, 459 of them were to Blaenavon residents.
The council agreed unanimously to give £300 each to foodbanks held at the Workmen's Hall and The Hope Centre on Pavilion Estate, Pontnewynydd - which is also used by Blaenavon people.
Figures released by The Trussell Trust, a poverty charity that began the initiative, show that Blaenavon is above average for access to foodbanks in Torfaen.
Cllr Phyllis Roberts, the Mayor of Blaenavon, said: “It’s shocking in this day and age of relative prosperity that foodbanks even exist.
"But families on the breadline need help, particularly around Christmas time.
"We were unanimous in our decision to support the wonderful work done locally.”
The Workmen’s Hall Foodbank is run by Victory Church and open on Monday between 12pm and 3pm, while the Pontnewynydd Foodbank is open on Mondays and Wednesdays from 1pm to 4pm and Friday from 10am and 12pm.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here