We teamed up with Nick Smith MP and the ‘Everyone Deserves…’ campaign this Christmas and Easter to distribute 110 food hampers to EVI Pantry members across Blaenau Gwent, providing a much-needed boost during the holidays.

Here at Ebbw Vale Institute, the holiday seasons of Christmas 2023 and Easter 2024 were marked by our part in this heartwarming initiative to support our community members. During the lead-up to Christmas and Easter, our amazing staff and team of volunteers joined the production line in Swansea to help pack the hampers, and then organised and distributed them across Blaenau Gwent. Each hamper was brimming with all the yummy ingredients needed for a Christmas or Easter dinner, including fresh and frozen meat and veggies, as well as festive treats like mince pies, gift sets, hot cross buns, Easter eggs, and other goodies. 110 food hampers were distributed in total to members of our EVI Community Food Pantry.

The “Everyone Deserves…” campaign, pioneered by Carolyn Harris MP in Swansea to tackle holiday hunger, has grown to encompass neighbouring areas like our community here in Blaenau Gwent.

Nick Smith MP expressed his gratitude, stating, “Thanks to the work of those at the centre of this campaign and the army of incredible volunteers, not least Sian and her team from the EVI, hopefully what would have been a difficult time for many will be made a little easier.”

We were so pleased to hear about the positive impact these hampers had in supporting our Pantry members. Many reached out to share messages of thanks and appreciation:

“Thank you so much for doing this! My Mum received a hamper today and it filled the cupboards!”

“I received a hamper today, thank you so much it was fantastic everything I could have wanted is in it.”

We are immensely grateful to everyone who contributed to the success of this initiative, from our hardworking volunteers to the generous leaders and supporters of the campaign. Together, we were able to make a meaningful difference in our community, easing the financial pressure of celebrating the holidays with family and friends.

EVI Community Food Pantry is just one of our multiple community projects at the centre. It is open every week to Blaenau Gwent residents, helping the community reduce their grocery bills and access support. Become a member today, join our lovely volunteer team, or donate today!

ProMo Cymru, charity and social enterprise, operates and is the custodian of the Ebbw Vale Institute. We are proud to have saved EVI for future community use.

EVI is currently funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.*