1. SWANSEA PUBLIC HEALTH TEAM
SWANSEA FOOD CONNECTIONS
Asha Boyce – Community Nutritionist
Viv Makin – Community Food Development Worker
Jennifer Evans – Community Food Development Worker
NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH TEAM

2. AIM
Swansea Food Connections aims to improve access to, and availability of, healthy food choices, by facilitating community-led and run food initiatives in the 12 Communities First and Objective 1 priority 3 areas of Swansea.

3. BACKGROUND
The Welsh Health Survey ¹ indicates that people in Swansea are not eating healthily enough, with over 60% of the population not consuming the recommended 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Research shows that there are dietary inequalities between those on higher and lower incomes¹.

4. FACTORS AFFECTING FOOD CHOICE
The Food Access Model ² suggests that people’s choices
about the food they buy and eat result from a combination
of factors. The main barriers to healthy eating are:
Low income and debt
Poor accessibility to affordable, healthy foods
Socio-cultural factors
Factors in food production and the food chain
Lack of opportunities to experiment and to develop cooking skills for healthy meals
Lack of access to accurate information
Food marketing
Poor literacy and numeracy skills

5. FUNDING
The Big Lottery (Cancer Prevention Programme)
provided funding which covers a three year
period ending in June 2007.

6. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT APPROACH
Go with the people. Live with them. Love them. Start with what
they know. Build with what they have. But of the leaders, when the
job is done, the task accomplished,
The people will all say ‘We have done this ourselves’
Lao Tsu, China 700 BC

7. PARTNERSHIP SFC works with community members, in addition to a wide
range of statutory and voluntary organisations. Where
possible, the project has encouraged local producers,
wholesalers and chefs to support volunteers in setting up
Initiatives. The Team is supported by a multidisciplinary
Steering Group.

8. STEERING GROUP Fruit/ vegetable wholesalers Swansea Community Farm
Communities First /Regeneration officers
Fruit/ vegetable wholesalers
Swansea Community Farm
Community groups
Development trusts
Farmers
Sure start
Swansea College
Dietetics Dept
Swansea NHS Trust
Swansea
Women’s Centre
Minority Ethnic Women’s Network
Black Environment Network
British Trust for Conservation Volunteers
Family Centres
Health Living Centres
Community Centres
Churches/ places of worship
Interested individuals
Rural Regeneration Unit
Youth Service
STEERING GROUP
Swansea Council for Voluntary Service
City and County of Swansea
Dietetic Dept, Swansea NHS Trust
Swansea Public Health Team
Healthy Directions Bonymaen
Community Regeneration Unit
Active
Community Members

9. FOOD FOR THOUGHT NETWORKING EVENT
The aims of the event were
to provide communities with information on how to set up various food projects
an opportunity for people to come together and share their experiences, skills and knowledge.
an opportunity to discuss and learn about possible solutions to food related issues.

10. A GUIDE TO COMMUNITY FOOD ACTIVITIES
“How to …. …. A Guide to Community Food Activities”
A step-by-step guide to food activities, signposting to
established initiatives in Swansea enabling people to take
local action with appropriate knowledge and support.

11. COMMUNITY-LED ACTIVITIES INITIATED BY SFC
Peer-led and tutor led Cookery Activities delivered in 4 areas.
Organised Food Hygiene Training for 6 community groups
Supported communities to set up 6 Food Co-ops enabling people to access affordable fresh fruit and vegetables at local pick up points.
Supported the establishment of a Local Produce Market.
Delivery of OCN Nutrition Training enabling a wide range of organisations to be good sources of nutrition information which can support groups at a local level.
Encouraged and supported Local Food Growing Activities.
Provided Cookery Demonstrations and Ready, Steady, Cook Style events to engage with the communities.

13. EVALUATION Quantitative data
Numbers of people attending meetings, training sessions and volunteering for particular initiatives
Demographic information
Number of initiatives established
Number of training sessions
Qualitative data
Collect feedback from events, training sessions
Written data from meetings
Annual Reports

14. FUTURE: A VISION FOR FOOD ACTION
A Local Food Network, where people can share information, experiences and best practice.
A more co-ordinated approach to all work around food issues.
Encouraging a change in food culture, such as promoting locally produced seasonal foods.

15. REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING
Office of National Statistics. Welsh Health Survey 2003/05 Local Authority Report. Website.
Dowler, E. and Dobson, B Nutrition and Poverty in Europe: An Overview. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 56,1A
Food Standards Agency Wales. Food and Wellbeing: Reducing inequalities through a nutrition strategy for Wales Website.
A Toolkit for Community Development Workers Communities First Support Network and Connections (S.A). Cardiff.
Allan, D Getting our act together ….. In community development and health. London: Community Development Foundation.

16. OTHER INSPIRATIONAL PROJECTS
Community Food Enterprise Ltd London
Riverside Community Market Association
East Sussex Food and Health Partnership
Sandwell Project