Monmouthshire Housing’s staff are making a real difference this Xmas

Staff at local housing provider Monmouthshire Housing Association (MHA) witness on a daily basis the hardship facing many people living in their communities, and are determined to help spread some Christmas cheer this year.

With ongoing changes to welfare benefits and the roll-out of Universal Credit to Monmouthshire back in June, many people are facing a Christmas without money and, as a last resort, are having to turn to Foodbanks to help survive.

Supporting those people in the most need is not just a tokenistic one-off Christmas thing at MHA, staff have been generously donating to the Foodbanks for a while. The Trussel Trust and Ravens House Trust Food Bank boxes have become a permanent feature in their communal forum, serving as a subtle reminder to staff to put a few extra food items in their weekly food shop.

This is on top of the 100 advent calendars recently donated by staff to Monmouthshire Foodbanks and the £85.00 proceeds from the recent Christmas Jumper day, which was matched pound for pound by MHA; raising a total of £170.00 donated to the Foodbanks.

Bags of toys and children’s bikes donated by staff will also be winging their way to families participating in the Big Lottery funded ‘Dads Can’ project, run by MHA, to support fathers aged 16 – 35.

Plans are already afoot for a dress down day at MHA in the new year to raise more much-needed funding to these invaluable, amazing organisations.

Michele Morgan, Director of Housing & Communities at MHA said:

“We recognise many of our tenants are struggling at the moment and the massive difference the Foodbanks are making in helping people in these times of crisis.

As well as our usual Foodbank donations, we want to be sure that no child in Monmouthshire goes without a small treat this Christmas, and are delighted to be able to donate an additional 200 selection boxes for the Food Banks to distribute to local families.”