Food poverty event raised in the Senedd

Plaid Cymru Mid and West AM Simon Thomas raised the issue of food poverty in the Senedd with the First Minister following a meeting with Women’s Institute.

Earlier this month Simon Thomas hosted the Wales launch for a programme of work by the National Federation of Institutes (NFWI) on food poverty.

The NFWI is seeking to build greater public understanding of the issue of food poverty, and to consider some of the key challenges in addressing this issue.

Speaking in the Senedd chamber Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs Simon Thomas AM said:

“Last week I staged an event here with the Women’s Institute on food poverty. Jig-So from Cardigan were in attendance, Food Poverty Alliance Wales were there, as were the Trussell Trust. It’s clear that the Women’s Institute want to lead a campaign on food poverty over the next few months, and there is an issue related to women here, because it is they who primarily miss out on meals in these situations, and that is something that we should be clear on given the threat of universal credit coming down the line to many communities in Wales.

The Mid and West AM called on the Labour Government to work with organisations such as the Women’s Institute to support families facing austerity.

The First Minister replied it was vital that consideration is given to the situation in every part of Wales, and also governments should work with the food poverty alliance in order to deal with the issue.

The new campaign will focus on food poverty and follows on from the Great Food Debates project, undertaken in 2013, which saw WIs and county federations organise over a hundred food discussion events to consider the issue of food security.