Charities share in £25k donation from Valero staff

Shift workers from the operations department at Valero Pembroke Refinery have donated £25,000, split between Get the Boys a Lift, a community interest company working to improve mental health within the community; foodbank charity Patch (Pembrokeshire action to combat hardship); and SNAP Pembrokeshire, a playgroup supporting children with additional needs.

The money will ensure the groups can continue to help the Pembrokeshire community during the coronavirus crisis.

Ryan Evans from Get the Boys a Lift, who will receive £14,000, thanked the Valero staff.

He said: “The mental health impact that Covid-19 has had and will continue to have is immense.

"Everyone needs to recognise that this pandemic will impact our communities in so many different ways.

"Helping those who have found this a tough time is the right thing to do.”

Cindy Jenkins from SNAP, who will receive £6,5000, said the money will help families in need during the crisis.

"This donation will help many families who are struggling with child care for vulnerable children in this really difficult time," Ms Jenkins said.

"It is amazing that Valero staff are reaching out to help those in need. It won’t be forgotten.”

Patch will receive a £4,500 donation, this follows a £25,000 donation from staff to Patch in May to help those in need who are struggling during this difficult time.

Tracy Olin from Patch said: “Valero have already given us the largest donation we have ever received but to have even more is beyond our expectations.

"Valero staff have really done something special and we can’t thank them enough.”

Stephen Thornton, Valero's manager of public affairs said the workers had performed an act of "overwhelming generosity".

Adding: "They have chosen three well-loved causes in our county focusing pre-dominantly on mental health.

"This pandemic has reached into all our lives and the best we can do is to continue to help and look after each other. ”