The Party of Wales Arfon Standing up for the people of Arfon

Winter is an especially difficult time for families on low incomes as they are often faced with a stark choice between heating or eating.

This means that the use of food banks can increase over the winter as people rely on the service to survive winter hardships.

As a result of the increased demand, food banks need more support from the public to ensure that there is enough for all those in need.

In an attempt to address some this need, Plaid Cymru Arfon has launched the Reverse Advent Calendar and are encouraging constituents to join them.

Instead of receiving the usual piece of chocolate every day in December, the idea behind the Reverse Advent Calendar is that a family or office put an item of food in a basket each day, and present the items to Bangor and Caernarfon’s foodbanks before Christmas.


Arfon’s Plaid Cymru Assembly Member, Siân Gwenllian said,


‘‘It’s heart-breaking that so many families rely on food banks and that so many children live in poverty at a time of year that should be full of happiness.


The Reverse Advent Calendar is an easy way for people to contribute to their local food bank, as a family, group of friends or as co-workers.


We will be filling a basket in our Caernarfon office and sharing it between Bangor and Caernarfon foodbanks and people are more than welcome to leave contributions at the office if they wish’’.


Hywel Williams Arfon’s Member of Parliament said,


‘’Food poverty is blighting the lives of thousands of people across Wales and is being worsened by soaring energy prices and real cuts in wages.


Wales is bearing the brunt of the cost of living crisis blighting the UK, with food bank users on the rise, including those who’ve become reliant on emergency rations.


Food banks, such as the ones in Bangor and Caernarfon, have sprung up across Wales as a compassionate and caring response.


I hope local people will respond positively to our initiative, so that those in real need of help this Christmas can benefit from the generosity shown by local people’’.


Caernarfon’s Foodbank is situated at the Pentecostal Church, Cibyn and goods are received on Tuesdays and Fridays. At Bangor’s Foodbank, goods are received on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at the Cathedral. The Plaid Cymru office in Castle Street Caernarfon will receive goods for both Bangor and Caernarfon foodbanks until the 20th of December.