The Port of Milford Haven has been taking action to increase support for its local community as the cost of living soars and individuals, charities and small businesses struggle to make ends meet.

Throughout Pembrokeshire there are many charitable organisations working hard to support people who find themselves in difficulty, whether that be through a lack of food, clothing or accommodation. To provide immediate assistance directly to those who need it most, the Port has partnered with PATCH and Pembrokeshire Foodbank and donated £5,000 to each charity to enable them to purchase additional food supplies for those in need over the winter period.

The Port has also donated £5,000 to Pembrokeshire Care Society, which supports over 2,000 people facing hardship every year, helping them with everything from mental health to accommodation.  With around 20-30 rough sleepers in Pembrokeshire currently known to the charity, the Port’s donation will go towards rough sleeper packs to keep people experiencing homelessness safe and warm this Christmas.

As a long-standing supporter of local youth organisation Milford Youth Matters, having worked with them on the annual Under the Bridge project for a number of years, the Port partnered with them again on a new project, Winter Warmer Nights.  With funding from the Port, Winter Warmer Nights was able to run weekly at Milford United Football Club offering young people the opportunity to socialise with friends and enjoy a hot meal in a warm, safe environment.

Chief Executive at the Port of Milford Haven, Tom Sawyer, said “This is a tough time for many and we want to help the local community as much as possible to weather the storm. There are some fantastic charities in Pembrokeshire that are addressing major social problems such as food poverty and homelessness, so we hope that our contributions will make a difference to people accessing those services.”

For more information on the charities mentioned please visit:

PATCH – www.patchcharity.org.uk
Pembrokeshire Foodbank – www.pembrokeshire.foodbank.org.uk
Pembrokeshire Care Society – www.pembrokeshirecaresociety.co.uk

-Ends-

Photo 1: Hollie Phillips from the Port presents a £5,000 cheque to the manager of the Pembrokeshire Foodbank Ian Watling and his team.

Photo 2: Director at PATCH Dave Golding accepts a donation from Hollie Phillips, Community Engagement Assistant at the Port.

Photo 3: (L-R) Natalie Male, Advice and Bond Co-ordinator, Pembrokeshire Care Society; Sara Richards, PR and Communications Executive, Port of Milford Haven; Michael Hooper, Managing Director, Pembrokeshire Care Society and Jo Rozbalt, Senior Outreach Worker, Pembrokeshire Care Society.

 

Notes to Editors:

Port of Milford Haven

The Port of Milford Haven is the UK’s top energy port and Wales’ busiest port handling around 20% of Britain’s seaborne trade in oil and gas.  It is widely recognised in the industry as the energy capital of the UK.

The Port, along with the cluster of energy-related businesses along the Waterway, is a key driver of economic activity in Pembrokeshire, attracting inward investment and supporting over 4,000 jobs.

The Port of Milford Haven also owns and operates Pembroke Port and Milford Dock.  Activities such as cargo handling, ferry operations, fish landing and cruise calls as well as a first class marina are spread across these two sites. 

One of the most prominent on the West Coast, the Port is in the heart of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, the only Coastal National Park in Great Britain. It is marked as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and has many areas designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

The Port of Milford Haven is a trust port – an independent, commercially run organisation that has statutory responsibilities governed by its Acts, to maintain and improve navigation and the provision of Port and Harbour services and facilities.  Additionally, the Port provides significant financial and in-kind support to a wide variety of local causes.  All profits are retained within the business to fund these objectives. 

For further information, visit www.mhpa.co.uk or contact:

Anna Malloy
Port of Milford Haven
01646 696100
anna.malloy@mhpa.co.uk