Bwyd Da Bangor, a social food initiative at 275 Bangor High Street was recently visited by Siân Gwenllian, the Member of the Senedd for the Arfon constituency and Hywel Williams MP.
The café, located near the clock on Bangor High Street is run by staff residing at the Penrhyn House drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre, as well as individuals currently living in homeless accommodation in Bangor.
But the MS for Arfon claims that Bwyd Da Bangor is “much more than a café, it’s an innovative, forward-thinking solution to many problems.”
On visiting Bwyd Da Bangor’s café on the High Street, the Member of the Senedd for Arfon said: “Food waste, food poverty, drug and alcohol problems, climate change and the decline of our High Streets are very real problems facing all of us, and Bwyd Da Bangor manages to be a pioneering, local solution for all of these problems.
“Bwyd Da staff members will receive high-quality training in the café and through Coleg Menai, which will give them a “genuine prospect of a well-rounded recovery, qualifications and possibly long-term employment.”
“Their vision is a truly green one, with a commitment to reducing our carbon footprint. There will be a focus on reducing food waste, which will go some way to address local food poverty and surplus supermarket food.
“Their eco-conscious approach is what lies at the heart of Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Government’s recent commitment to establishing a community food strategy to encourage the production and supply of locally-sourced food in Wales.
“As well as the social and environmental impact of the initiative, Bwyd Da Bangor will give a much-needed boost to Bangor High Street, giving people a hub to socialise.
Hywel Williams MP added: “Initiatives such as this one is the future. The various agencies involved with Bwyd Da Bangor looked at all the challenges facing Bangor and came up with a creative solution for those challenges.
“The recent death of Carl Clowes gave us an opportunity to consider the transformative impact of social enterprises.
“He set up the first Community Co-operative in the United Kingdom in 1974, based in the abandoned quarry village of Nan Gwrtheyrn, Gwynedd.
“At the heart of his vision was social change and the sustainability of our communities, and I look forward to seeing Bwyd Da Bangor contribute to that vision.”
The multi-agency scheme is led by Penrhyn House, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, Gwynedd Council, Bangor City Council, Adra, North Wales Housing, Coleg Menai and the University.