Ystradgynlais Community Café and Foodbank

At the beginning of the year, we worked with the Ystradgynlais Community Centre to set up a Foodbank. The foodbank runs from 10am – 1 pm every Tuesday and Thursday, and provides people who are struggling financially with groceries. In April, First Choice Housing Association (FCHA) committed to funding a community café to run alongside the foodbank.

The community café is open to everyone – every customer gets a free bowl of soup, a bread roll and a tea or coffee thanks to the support of FCHA. Visitors can also choose to buy cooked meals at a reduced cost, including bacon baps, full cooked breakfasts or a burger and chips.

The main aim of the community café is to help feed people who are in need, as well as bring the community together and give back. The café has already received donations of unused bowls, tea towels and cutlery from local schools, and they are hoping to secure donations of unsold bread rolls from supermarkets on Monday and Wednesday evenings.

Jade Flynn, Community Development & Volunteering Lead, said:

“We are hoping the community café brings people together and reduce the burden that is the cost-of-living crisis – nobody should go hungry.

“Ystradgynlais is remote and there aren’t many transport links. The community centre is the central hub of the town, and the café offers a great opportunity to come together and help
those in need.”

Jade said:

“The café is starting to gain momentum which is great to see.”

The café runs alongside the foodbank and some of the people supported by Mirus volunteer there. Berian volunteers every Thursday and always makes sure he is there early to supply food to those in the community who are in need.

He volunteers as he likes to help those in his local community who may not be able to afford food for themselves or their families. Berian’s help has made a big difference to those he helps – which has made him feel like he is doing some good and making a difference in his community.

If you are in the area, feel free to visit the community café every Tuesday and Thursday at Ystradgynlais Community Centre.