Throughout the city community organisations are helping people who may be struggling to access food. They are promoting the health and mental health benefits of growing your own food, helping to bring our communities closer together and supporting our young people in schools.

Most of these organisations are run by volunteers on tight budgets. As a business you may have resources, skills and spaces which could really help out an organisation local to you. Perhaps you also have land that’s available which could be used to grow food – there is high demand from community groups and small-scale farmers to set up in Cardiff.

There are community food projects active across the city. Here’s a couple of examples of Food Cardiff programmes which businesses could support with time, space, expertise, donations or funding:

Food Power: Food Cardiff is one of the Food Power food poverty alliances, working to strengthen the ability of local communities to reduce food poverty. Projects having included support for frontline staff to better understand and promote Healthy Start Vouchers, and the launch of the Dusty Forge Pantry in Ely. 

Pantries are membership-based food clubs that enable people to access food at a small fraction of the usual supermarket price, improving household food security and freeing up more money for other essential household costs. 

Food for Life Get Togethers: Good food is even better when it’s shared. Food for Life Get Togethers are regular community activities that connect people from all ages and backgrounds through food. From funding for your cooking or growing activity, to tools and materials to bring together your community, Food Cardiff has been helping people to run Get Togethers across the city.

Veg Cities: Cardiff’s Veg City campaign is driving up veg consumption by changing things on a local level – promoting veg, growing veg, getting more veg into school meals, reducing the amount of veg that is wasted, and so much more. Restaurants, retailers, workplaces, schools, growers and restaurants can all make a veg pledge. 

Help with Community Food Retail: If you are interested in setting up, supporting or further developing a pantry, food co-op, larder, community fridge, food club or other type of alternative retail, Food Cardiff can help. Food Cardiff and Cardiff Business School produced this guide with support from the Community Food Retail Network. A special thank you to Cardiff Business School.

Have a look at some of the work they’re doing on our news page and sign up to our newsletter for regular updates.

• Find out more about Food Power (opens new window)
• Find out more about Food for Life Get Togethers (opens new window)
• Find out more about Veg Cities (opens new window)
• Check out the Community Food Retail guide (opens new window)
• Sign up for the Food Cardiff newsletter for regular updates from local Good Food projects (opens new window)