Developer donation for Merthyr charity

The builder behind the Porth y Dyffryn development in Twynyrodyn has donated £1,000 to a charity that helps feed people in Merthyr Tydfil.

Persimmon Homes East Wales presented the cheque to Hope Pantry at its premises at Hope Church alongside the county mayor, Cllr John Thomas.

The Pantry is open twice a week to subscribers who pay £4.50 a week to have access to food and households good. They are there for people for as long as they need them.

Much of the stock at Hope Pantry comes from surpluses from producers or big retailers. National charities like Fareshare Cymru redirect those back into pantries and other charities. Hope Pantry also works with smaller local suppliers and producers, also using the money collected from memberships to buy additional stock as required.

The household reach of the Pantry is around 420 adults and 160 children, and currently welcome approximately 130 people each week.

The charity also acts as a community hub where people can make friends and attend advice surgeries by organisations like Welsh Water.

The five-star developer donates £48,000 to good causes and much-valued organisations across Wales each year as part of its Community Champions programme. Recent local recipients include Twynyrodyn Primary School PTFA and Merthyr Tennis Club.

There are currently one to five bedroom homes available for sale at Porth y Dyffryn.

Victoria Williams – Persimmon Homes Sales Director – said:

“Hope Pantry is a really good cause that helps hundreds of people in need in Merthyr Tydfil, so Persimmon is very happy to support it through our Community Champions scheme.

“As developers at Twynyrodyn, Persimmon hopes to have demonstrated its commitments to the town through our donations, and look forward to doing so again in the future.”

Heidi Jacobsen – Manager of Hope Pantry – added:

“We are really grateful to Persimmon for their donation as it will be a massive boost in our finances and helps us continue our work in the community.

“Hope Pantry relies on word-of-mouth for people to know how we can help them and we hope that this donation also helps spread the word about what we do.”

Cllr John Thomas – Mayor of Merthyr Tydfil – commented:

“Hope Pantry is a really worthy cause and is a staple of the community here in Merthyr – so I am personally grateful to Persimmon for lending a helping hand.

“I have long been an advocate of the Pantry’s work and will continue to support them in whatever way I can.”