Openreach employees have showcased their commitment to the community by collecting an astounding 500kg of food donations, which have been distributed to foodbanks across Wales.

This incredible effort comes at a time when many families are facing unprecedented challenges and the generosity of Openreach volunteers will provide much-needed relief.

Over the past few months Openreach staff have demonstrated the company’s dedication to social responsibility by gathering food supplies at various locations across Wales. The collection drive culminated in a significant delivery to local foodbanks, ensuring that the donations reach those who need them most.

The idea for the collection came from Openreach Wales’ Advocacy Panel – a small group of Openreach volunteers from across Wales that come together every month to discuss issues that are important to the 2,200 Welsh engineers and provide advice to the Openreach Wales Board.

Russell Clarke, who’s a patch lead for Openreach engineers in and around Cardiff and Newport and a member of the Openreach Wales Advocacy Panel, explains: “I came up with the idea that we should do something for the local community.

“Every day we’re working in towns and villages maintaining and upgrading our infrastructure and we know how vital foodbanks can be for some people.

“I’m delighted to see how colleagues have embraced this idea and managed to collect an incredible amount of food parcels for foodbanks across Wales.”

Kim Mears, Openreach Wales Board Chair, said: “We are immensely proud of our volunteers who have gone above and beyond to support their communities and collect half a tonne of food parcels for foodbanks across Wales.

“Our engineers live and work across every part of Wales and this gesture demonstrates how much our communities mean to us.

“We know how important foodbanks are to a number of people so it’s rewarding to be able to play a small part in helping to prevent people from going hungry.”

Among those foodbanks to benefit from Openreach’s collection are: Bridgend, Newport, Bangor, Malpas, Nelson Taff Bargoed, Carmarthen, Gorseinon, Cardiff and Wrexham.

The food donations include a variety of essential items such as canned goods, dry foods, and other non-perishable items, all of which will help stock the shelves of foodbanks at a critical time. These contributions are expected to assist hundreds of families, alleviating some of the pressures caused by the current economic climate.