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Dr Hefin Gwilym of the School of History, Law and Social Sciences attended the opening event of Bwyd Da Bangor on Monday, 1st November. ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ is a founding member of North Wales Food Poverty Alliance which supports Bwyd Da Bangor. The other founding members are Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, Flintshire County Council, Pennaf Housing Group, Denbighshire Voluntary Services Council and Well North Wales. Additionally, students from the School’s Work Placement module will be volunteering to support the initiative.

Bwyd Da Bangor is an innovative multi-agency initiative that aims to address several key themes, whilst creating a go-to location in the centre of Bangor. Building on the success of projects elsewhere, Bwyd Da Bangor combines a membership-based food share programme, re-distributing surplus supermarket stock, with a high-quality training café. The café will be run by staff who are coming through the Penrhyn House drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre or those who are currently living in homeless accommodation in Bangor. Receiving training through Coleg Menai, these individuals will receive support and qualifications to gain access into long-term employment.

Bwyd Da Bangor addresses several priority areas, including:

-       Supporting food production and reducing the carbon footprint.
-       Alleviating food poverty
-       Helping to eradicate food waste
-       Contributing to the economic regeneration of Bangor City Centre.
-       Creating employment
-       Helping individuals move on from homelessness
-       Supporting individuals coming through drug and alcohol rehabilitation
-       Creating volunteering opportunities

Bwyd da Bangor has received financial support from Welsh Government, Gwynedd Council, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, and the Steve Morgan Foundation. All these contributions have helped to create a unique scheme that will help several individuals and families and will build on existing partnership arrangements to ensure that food poverty and homelessness prevention are at the forefront of the programme’s future developments.