Youth Beatz 2019 is now only days away, and preparations are under way for a new initiative for Youth Beatz 2019: the involvement of foodbanks from across the region.
Dumfries and Galloway Council is committed to tackling the causes and effects of poverty through its Anti-Poverty Strategy. By including local food banks at this year’s event Youth Beatz,the Council can play an even greater role in tackling poverty.
Young people from the Youth Beatz Steering Groups identified that demand on local food banks has increased significantly over the last few years and have developed an initiative to run during this year’s festival.
All Youth Beatz 2019 ticket holders are invited to bring along one foodstuff item [or more if able] that they can deposit in the Food Bank Drop Box, which will be located at the main entrance.
The foodbanks involved in this project are LIFT (Lochside Is Families Together) and Stranraer Furniture Project, both of which will have volunteers on site who will be able to answer any questions about the services that they offer to their communities.
Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Young People’s Champion, Councillor Adam Wilson, said: “Youth Beatz has established itself as a major event in the region’s calendar and is a unique opportunity for young people in our region. A key strand in our legacy plans from last year’s Year of Young People is making it bigger and better. This new initiative will expand the work our Youth Work Service do to tackle poverty across our region and contribute to our Council wide Anti-Poverty Strategy.”
Examples of goods that can be donated are: dried pasta, cereals, soup, pasta sauces, beans, tinned meat, tinned vegetables, tea, coffee, tinned fruit, and biscuits.
Paul Smith, from Stranraer Furniture Project, said: “This is a great example of Dumfries and Galloway Council working together with partners in the Third Sector and wider community to combat food poverty, while raising awareness amongst young people of the value of donating food to these projects.”
