Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru

Addressing food poverty is one of our priorities and, as such, last year, £2m EU Transition funding was provided to local authorities to distribute to community food organisations to increase their reach, build their resilience and apply learning from the Covid-19 pandemic.

The funding supported an increased number of people facing food poverty by strengthening community food initiatives and focussing on activity helping to address the root causes of food poverty. 

Funding was also used to provide specialist support for initiatives such as outreach work, training for volunteers and to build community resilience through the development of community hubs. These hubs work to co-locate a range of support services such as debt and housing advice and other advice services built around community food provision including holiday hunger schemes, food banks and community cafes.

We have agreed a further £2 million EU Transition funding for 2021-22 to further  tackle food poverty and address food insecurity in a more collaborative and sustainable way. This year applications can be made directly to us from third sector organisations working in this arena. Applications to the fund closed today and we will be informing successful applicants later in the summer.  

In addition FareShare Cymru have been awarded a grant for of £500,000 in 2021/22 to support food provision across Wales. Over the last decade, they have redistributed the equivalent of almost 11 million meals to those in need.

The pandemic has impacted on the work of FareShare Cymru with a 70% increase in membership and doubling of the amount of food being redistributed. In response to this increase, we extended support to increase their coverage across Wales. FareShare Cymru currently provide good quality surplus edible food to around 180 community organisations and charities throughout the country.

Last year, the Valleys Taskforce funded the Big Bocs Bwyd project. This project builds on the award-winning start made at two Barry primary schools. This approach uses FareShare food and imaginative engagement to deliver physical and mental wellbeing benefits to pupils, parents and the community as well as supporting a wider appreciation of the connections between food, nature and the economy. Funding from the Valleys Taskforce has established a further five Bocs Bwyd projects in schools in the Valleys, working in partnership with the Valleys Regional Park :-

• Cyfarthfa Park Primary, Merthyr;
• St Margaret’s RC Primary, Aberdare;
• Cwmfelin Primary, Maesteg;
• Garth Primary, Maesteg;
• 3 Joint, co-located Ammanford Schools: Cylch Meithrin Rhydaman, Ysgol Bro Banw, Rhydaman Primary.

The project helps to measurably reduce food waste at a commercial, community and household level, using platforms including OLIO to share food at a family level.

The recently published Programme for Government commits to the development of a Community Food Strategy which will offer further opportunities to look at meeting local needs. The learning from initiatives such as Big Bocs Bwyd and information on need, evident through the grant applications, will help to develop a strategy which focusses on the issue of food insecurity as a whole.