With the soaring cost of living, more people than ever are struggling to pay for food and bills this Christmas.

But a community group based in Newtown has been providing free food for one of Powys' poorest areas to make sure people in the community do not go without this winter.

Cultivate's Food Hub project supports local fruit and vegetables growers by procuring from them and selling the produce to local partners, including Powys County Council.

As part of Powys County Council's 'Cost of Living Crisis' support day in Ystradgynlais, 50 soup bags were given to residents by Cultivate.

Richard Edwards, senior manager, said everyone at Cultivate was pleased to support people living in the south Powys through their Food Hub programme, which is managed by Social Farms and Gardens with Welsh Government funding from the Rural Development Programme.

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"We hope that the provision of locally produced, seasonal and fresh produce, together with recipe cards, will help people in the short-term as well as in the longer-term," Richard said. "I would like to thank our local growers John, Emma and Ashleigh for providing the vegetables and supporting our Food Hub model of delivery.”

The food was sourced by John Phillips, of Broniarth Farm, Newtown; Emma Maxwell, of Ash and Elm Horticulture, Llanidloes; and Ashleigh Davies, from Cultivate, Newtown.

The Food Hub project aims to demonstrate that the public sector can procure efficiently from local producers whilst benefitting the local environment and helping to keep more of the money people spend in the local economy by buying local.

For more information about the Food Hub and accessing local, fresh food, please contact Nick Burdekin, Cultivate by sending an email to nickb@cultivate.uk.com