Rachel Gilmour attended the launch of the UK’s first electric mobile food bank in Watchet on Tuesday, April 30.
Quantock Food Bank is based at Watchet Methodist Church but Tuesday saw the launch of its mobile van. The van is powered by electricity and is fitted with solar panels to make it completely carbon neutral. It is the first of its kind in the UK.
Mrs Gilmour joined volunteers, Trustees, the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Watchet, local clergy and former High Sheriff of Somerset, Jennifer Duke, on The Esplanade at Watchet. The ribbon was cut by Mrs Duke with pupils from Crowcombe Primary School, who had helped fundraise for the project, as well as designing the logo.
Mrs Gilmour says: “The weather was wet but nothing could dampen the spirits of everyone there today. This is an amazing community achievement and very much needed during this dreadful cost of living crisis. The geography of Somerset makes it difficult for people who, through no fault of their own, need to use the foodbank but cannot travel to Watchet. Now the foodbank can come to them.
“Somerset may be beautiful but food poverty hides in plain sight. 1 in 5 people in Somerset go hungry. 70,000 (almost the same number as electors in Tiverton and Minehead Constituency) live with the constant anxiety of not knowing where their next meal will come from. Children who go to school hungry find it harder to learn and, consequently, their social mobility is limited.
“If elected as your Liberal Democrat MP, I shall continue my campaign to support urgent action to tackle the Poverty Premium which sees additional costs for our lowest income residents. This foodbank is a rural service which I will continue to support here and in Parliament.”
NOTES
- Main image: Rachel Gilmour with the new mobile foodbank and logo designed by a pupil from Crowcombe Primary School
