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As the cost of living continues to rise, the Rotary Club of Blackwood has pledged to do its bit to help support Rhymney Valley Foodbank.

Last week, Rotary Club members David Ellis, Steve Reynolds and Reverend Trevor Morgan did two big food shops at the Sainsbury’s supermarket in Pontllanfraith and Aldi in Blackwood. They bought £300 worth of food to donate to the foodbank.

The club has now pledged to continue supporting foodbanks as much as it can over the coming months.

Club members pay a subscription fee to be a part of the club, with this money used to pay for meals and other fundraising events. However, with many events unable to go ahead in recent years due to the Covid pandemic, members agreed to continue paying their subscription fees – with a chunk of this money being put towards helping foodbanks instead.

Since the pandemic, the club has supported numerous foodbanks across the borough, including Rhymney Valley Foodbank.

Reverend Morgan told Caerphilly Observer: “The foodbank is critical in our area, there’s no doubt about it. There will always be a need for foodbanks.

“We’ve seen nurses, NHS workers and even police officers using foodbanks lately.

“As it’s the school holidays, there’s an extra demand. With a recession about to hit, it’s a tragic situation.”