Supported by the Welsh Ministry of Social Justice, with small grants administered by us at Social Farms & Gardens, Bwyd Sir Gâr were particularly keen to ensure that diverse, minority and marginalised voices were enabled to contribute to forming their county’s Food Charter. The grants offered support for Carmarthenshire organisations to enable them to carry out food related activities and events (e.g. community growing, community cooking and meal sharing events that celebrate cultural diversity and heritage) - specifically with groups with one or more Protected Characteristics.
Six groups were awarded grants (below). Keep reading for a round-up of some of the fantastic events that were arranged.
- Llandovery Youth and Community Centre
- Menter Cwm Gwendraeth Elli
- Incredible Edible Carmarthenshire
- Earths Farm CIC
- Cegin y Bobl
- Llenerch Community Group
Menter Cwm Gwendraeth Elli
Sessions were held at Tabor Centre, Cross Hands, for the elderly in the area. The elderly took an active part in planning seasonal menus, using fresh produce from the community garden currently being developed at the centre. It was an uplifting experience for many residents as they socialised, shared experiences, and had deep discussions about the food they eat.
A mini-bus was arranged to ensure that everyone could attend, including those with disabilities who are usually isolated at home. It was an opportunity to promote social and health well-being by giving the elderly a voice in the process of creating nutritious meals, connecting them more with their community and the seasons.
The grant was used to enable older people to co-design a seasonal menu for the meals-on-wheels service, ensuring the meals were nutritious, affordable, and reflected their preferences. This service is vital to many, helping to reduce loneliness and provide a regular hot meal. Currently, rising food costs mean we rely heavily on supermarkets, but we aim to reduce our carbon footprint and encourage sustainability by growing more organic vegetables in our community garden, led by Adam at Yr Ardd.
The sessions combined food discussions with directly planning the menu based on seasonal produce, creating a sustainable, community-led model for the service. Questionnaires are available to summarise the discussion.
Welsh was made central to all activities by using it as the main medium of communication in the planning, preparation, and delivery of the meals-on-wheels service. Older people were encouraged and supported to use the language naturally in their social interactions. Very little bilingual support was needed, but it was provided when necessary through the facilitator, Adam yn yr Ardd. A quote from the group below:
I would like to sincerely thank Bwyd Sir Gâr Food for the financial support in making this project possible. Over 30 individuals have been able to enjoy listening to Adam’s knowledge in the Garden, but also to attend a community activity for the first time in quite a while. We hope to have further meetings to discuss the possibility of running regular projects for the older people of Cwm Gwendraeth. This partnership is just beginning.
Earths Farm CIC
Cultivating Diversity was a two-part participatory programme developed by Danny and Tenesia of Earths Farm CIC and hosted at Bremenda Isaf County Farm. Designed to create inclusive, creative and healing spaces for people from all backgrounds—particularly those from minoritised communities—the sessions aimed to connect food, culture, nature and justice through shared activities and conversation. Both sessions were delivered bilingually with Welsh phrases incorporated into the day. Each session offered participants the opportunity to reflected on their own food memories, explore the soil and landscape of the farm, and imagine what a culturally rich, fair and sustainable food future could look like in Carmarthenshire.
Incredible Edible Carmarthenshire
On 30th April 2025, ten community members from Llanelli and surrounding rural areas of Carmarthenshire, attended a farm visit and workshops at Bremenda Isaf Farm. The workshop sessions aimed to explore food systems, sustainable agriculture, and community growing. The sessions also gathered insights on lived experiences of food insecurity. Participants engaged in educational sessions, hands-on sowing activities, and collaborative planning for a future community growing space at the farm, as well as a conversation around food insecurity and a tour of the market garden and machine ring.
The visit highlighted diverse challenges related to food access, affordability, and emotional connections to food. Discussions revealed how past and present experiences of food insecurity shape attitudes toward growing, eating, and community support. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with valuable suggestions for enhancing future visits and growing activities. The event offered meaningful engagement, built awareness of the background of the farm, Bwyd Sir Gâr and their objectives, and generated concrete ideas for an inclusive, sustainable food-focused community space.
Cegin y Bobl
Check out this great video that the group put together to highlight what events they organised.
