A COMMUNITY fridge scheme in Flintshire has gone through its 'busiest couple of weeks', supporting those who need it most.
With the cost of living on the rise throughout the UK, many people - including those in Flintshire and Wrexham - are struggling to put food on the table for their families.
The Department of Work and Pensions estimate that around 9,200 families are soon set to receive a £650 payment in the Alyn and Deeside constituency and 8,300 families are set to receive the payment in the Delyn constituency.
The payments come amid criticism from charities that the Government is not doing enough to tackle the soaring cost of basic goods and fuel.
One scheme closer to home lending a hand is the Buckley Community Fridge.
Read more: Cost of living: 'Overwhelming' support shown for Deeside pet foodbank
Situated at the Old Library, the voluntary group was set up in April 2021 and enables the free transfer of surplus perishable (and non-perishable) in-date food from individuals and retailers to the local community.
It currently stocks a little bit of everything from meats to shampoo, fairy liquid and nappies.
Speaking to the Leader in June, community fridge chairman Reverend Canon Martin Batchelor spoke of how it had seen a 'gradual increase' in the number of people using its services.
Now, two months on, Rev. Batchelor says the group has gone through its busiest weeks yet.
And, having asked for more donations they have received just that with the likes of Co-op, Sainsburys, KidsBank and Aldi stores from the surrounding areas now supporting the group.
Rev. Batchelor said: "The last couple of weeks have been very busy, the busiest we have been to date in fact.
PIC: Rev. Canon Martin Batchelor, chair of the Buckley Community Fridge.
"But at the same time, we are receiving more and more support from supermarkets, which have been very helpful, and this allows us to offer more to those who need it."
The Buckley Community Fridge is currently open every Thursday between 9.30am and 11am and is run by volunteers.
Rev. Batchelor added that, such is the 'need' for such a scheme in Buckley, that the community fridge is now in talks to open on another day of the week.
He added: "We are having converstations about possibly opening on another day of the week and there are many reasons for that. One is that some people cannot get to us in the morning, so an afternoon or evening opening time would be more beneficial to those people.
"Today (Thursday, August 11), was successful and people are making use of what we have to offer which is very important.
"We had two new groups of people come into visit us, having read about us on Facebook. They came to have a look around and realised 'Oh, I need to make use of this'.
"People are beginning to talk about us now. It's important that people can come here and take what they need without judgement."
Rev. Batchelor estimates that the community fridge is currently seeing 'around 15 groups or individuals' a week at the moment. He added that around 50-60 items had been handed out on Thursday.
Anyone wishing to contact the team can do so via the 'Buckley Community Fridge' Facebook page or pop in on a Thursday.
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