Food parcels for families in need
An interfaith council which has helped to provide thousands of breakfast parcels to children in need is looking forward to continuing its good work this year.
Telford & Wrekin Interfaith Council (TWIC) was set up by borough councillor Raj Mehta.
During his term as mayor in 2018, he identified a gap between younger and older people in the borough and set up the Building Bridges project, which would later lead to the foundation of the interfaith council.
It was constituted as a charitable community group in April last year, with the coronavirus crisis already in full effect.
Councillor Mehta said: “It was a dream being mayor, meeting communities and during the 50th year celebrations.
“I didn’t want the dream to end. I wanted to continue to spread positivity and give back to the community.
“We aim to keep the ‘unity’ in community, encouraging and maintaining conversation and co-operation between all faith and cultural groups.
“Focusing within the community – we serve, we support, we care.”
During the pandemic, the group has helped many families and Councillor Mehta says community support has been ‘overwhelming’.
So far, it has provided more than 36,000 breakfasts to children in need within the borough, linking up with Telford & Wrekin Council and other organisations.
Based at the Leegate Centre, Leegomery, and Arleston Community Centre, its volunteers offer their support every Saturday. The food parcels can be collected from the community centres, with deliveries carried out in exceptional circumstances.
As the group moves forward into 2021, it is planning to keep providing breakfast provisions in partnership with Telford & Wrekin Council until the end of the Easter break. The food parcels are for children who are eligible to receive free school meals.
TWIC will also continue to be the official ‘out of hours’ food bank and will be providing a new programme, which will deliver equality and diversity training across the public, educational, charitable, not for profit and business sectors.
Anyone requiring help from TWIC can email chair@interfaithtelford.org or call 07545 023519.
For information on the breakfast parcels, and to register for the scheme, visit eventbrite.co.uk/e/113264334674 or eventbrite.co.uk/e/113265379800
