In preparation for the holidays, Lock Stock Self-Storage has restocked the shelves of a food bank in Buckley, Wales.
The Buckley Centre, which is part of the Flintshire Foodbank’s network of nine centers throughout Wales, operates out of the Buckley Cross Methodist Church Hall and is run by a team of mainly retired volunteers. It hands out more than 10 food parcels a week to individuals, couples, and families.
“We’ve got a good team here and for the last two years we’ve also opened a Warm Hub here where people can just pop in for some company, a chat, a cup of tea and some cakes,” said Anne Farnsworth, a volunteer at the Buckley Centre. “We also have the Citizens Advice Bureau here, Flintshire Council’s welfare team, and mental health charity MIND, and that’s all hosted by Buckley Cross Methodist Church. At this time of year, the numbers coming in will go up dramatically, and we’ll have over 40 food parcels for singles and family groups, so we’re catering for up to 100 people. There is an increasing number of people of no fixed abode who might be put up in hotels where they don’t have any cooking facilities, not even a microwave, so we have to give them things like pot noodles that they can make with a kettle.”
“When I retired, I found I wasn’t as busy as I’d been and I had referred people to Social Services from the Eye Clinic where I worked so I decided to get involved in helping here,” added volunteer Helen George. “We get a lot of the food given by customers at local supermarkets, but we also get individual donations as well and it’s very welcome when a business like Lock Stock come forward like this. We are seeing more people, especially older people who might have just missed out on their heating allowance, and it is a matter of pride for many people, but we provide our service very discreetly. It’s certainly wonderful to get this donation from Lock Stock just in time for Christmas, and we’re very grateful for their support.”
Lock Stock Self-Storage, which has been in business for 25 years, has a portfolio totaling 30 facilities and 4815 units.
“We do like to get involved with the communities where we operate, and it’s our way of saying thank you to the people of Buckley for their support,” said Richard Warner, area site manager of the Denbigh-based Lock Stock Self-Storage. “The food bank is clearly a much-needed service, and hopefully Lock Stock will have played a part in bringing some Christmas cheer to local households. The team of volunteers here in Buckley clearly do a fantastic job at what is a very difficult time for so many people, and we like to support the community in the places where we are in business, whether that’s charities like the Flintshire Foodbank or local schools and community groups.”