University staff donate hundreds of Christmas hampers to local foodbanks

More than 600 Christmas hampers have been donated to Swansea foodbanks, thanks to the generosity of Swansea University staff.

Last year, the University offered each member of staff a festive hamper to enjoy over the holiday period, as a thank you for their hard work and dedication throughout the year.

This year, based on feedback from staff, the University introduced an option for staff to donate a hamper to local foodbanks.

The hampers, which contain appropriate foods and household items, have been delivered to Goleudy – Community Fridge, Swansea Foodbank, Sketty Foodbank, and The Centre for African Entrepreneurship.

Economic crisis

Audrey Reeve, trustee of Sketty Foodbank, said: “In the current economic and energy crisis that has gripped the world, we at Sketty Foodbank have seen user numbers increase exponentially in the past 12 months.

“In October 2021, we were feeding an average of 150 people a month. A year later, this number has rocketed to over 500 people in September this year.

“Understandably, everyone is feeling the squeeze and donations haven’t kept pace with the increasing demand. So, to have 225 hampers donated to us from University staff will make such a huge difference to the numbers we can support and we can’t even begin to express our gratitude.”

Sarah Clifford, head of commercial at Swansea University, said: “We are delighted to be able to support the local community this Christmas, at what is a challenging time for many people.

“It’s fantastic to witness the generosity of so many of our staff who work so hard all year to support our students, whilst also being mindful of the important role we have to play within the city.

“We are also extremely grateful to our catering partners and suppliers who have supported us in these efforts and wish everyone a joyful festive season”.