Pride of Gwent winner helps out at foodbank as part of his challenge

The South Wales Argus Pride of Gwent winner was at the foodbank to thelp them sort out food parcels and give them out.

This follows his two Pride of Gwent awards for his charity work in 2023 and his Sir Terry Wogan Young Fundraiser Award which he was awarded after hiking up the Sugarloaf every day for five days in 2022.

Dante met Jon Slocombe, of Newport Foodbank, at the Pride of Gwent awards ceremony at Rodney Parade, Newport where they both won awards.

Newport Foodbank won the Pride of Gwent Charity Award and Dante won Fundraiser of the Year, before being crowned Pride of Gwent 2023.

It was at the awards ceremony that Dante decided to lend a helping hand at Newport Foodbank and include this as one of his charity challenges.

Dante and Jon got involved with charity work for similar reasons.

Dante wanted to help Children in Need when he went through a difficult time himself when his mother was struck down by a series of strokes when he was just five years old.

Luckily for him, kind family and friends were on hand to take care of him when his mother was incapacitated.

Having seen his best friend's mother at school foster children who have no parents to care for them made him realise that not all children are as lucky.

This was when he decided to raise money for the charity Children in Need.

Jon wanted to give back to society after having a good working life in the dairy industry.

He is a parishioner of Christchurch, Newport, and became aware of Newport Foodbank through them.

He got involved and went on to become the manager.

He said: “I do this job because I love it and it's a way of giving back.”

On January 5, Dante spent the day at Newport Foodbank. He was greeted by Jon and his team organiser Jason Bellia, who works at the Patent Office, Newport. He was then introduced to the rest of the Friday team of volunteers Jennifer, Babara and Tom.

Jennifer guided Dante through the health and safety regulations and the process of sorting, packing and handing out food parcels.

She originally started working at the foodbank more than eight years ago after her friend asked her at the Christchurch Centre, Malpas, Newport, if she’d like to volunteer.

Her children were at school and she had time on her hands so she thought that she'd give it a go.

She liked it so much she's still there.

Dante also worked alongside Barbara who had been volunteering for more than seven years and Tom, who works at a well-known financial company on the other four days of the week. He joined as a volunteer as he normally works alone and is a ‘computer buff’.

Dante helped sort, pack and hand out the bags of food.

First up was ‘Emily’ who had five children and one on the way. She was struggling after Christmas and wanted some much-needed food to tide them over.

She said: “It's so expensive now and I'm finding it hard to cope. It's my daughter's birthday in a few days and I'm skint. I can't even afford the essentials.”

People were there for all sorts of reasons from a young 18 year old girl just out of foster care to a 30 year old woman who had been sleeping rough after domestic abuse.

‘Becky’, a well-dressed 50 year old, was there for the first time, struggling with the cost of living and other personal reasons.

She said: “I just need some help until my wage comes in. I'm struggling and don't have any food for me and my son."

As well as receiving food bags, Jon lent them a listening ear and offered advice on where they could look for further help if needed.

Dante said: “I just loved doing that! I’d really like to come back in my summer holidays."

For his fifth Children in Need charity challenge in February, he intends to auction some of his own photography and will be sponsored by Shackleton Photographic and Martin's Framing & Gallery, both in Abergavenny.