#FeedTheNation: 5,000 packs of cheese donated to those in need

A dairy company in Wales has donated more than a tonne of cheese worth £10,000 to food banks and community schemes across Gwynedd and Anglesey.

North Wales farmer co-operative South Caernarfon Creameries has donated 5,000 packs of its grated Dragon cheddar to help people in need.

The company has maintained its milk collections from 135 farmer-members, and continued to produce their Welsh cheeses and butter throughout the coronavirus pandemic to help feed the nation.

See also: #FeedTheNation: Ulster Farmers’ Union give food hampers to NHS staff

The cheese will be included in community meals-on-wheels services in Gwynedd and in free lunch boxes being delivered to vulnerable people in Anglesey and Gwynedd through the Cynllun Neges project, run by Dylan’s Restaurant and community project company Menter Môn.

Cheryl Bullard, whose husband, Dylan, helped set up the food bank in Pwllheli North, said: “This is a great gesture for the whole area, and cheese is such a versatile and healthy food and it is locally produced and high quality.

“It is nice to see so many people pulling together in this crisis because, since Covid-19, we have been busier than ever before.”

Managing director Alan Wyn Jones with Cheryl Bullard, left, of Pwllheli food bank, and Marian Jones, Gwynedd Council © Mandy Jones Photography

Marian Wyn Jones, a project support officer with Gwynedd Council, thanked the dairy company for their “fantastic” offer. The 10 food banks in the county will each receive a share of the cheese.

Alan Wyn-Jones, managing director of South Caernarfon Creameries, said: “Our structure is quite unique in that we are a wholly-owned Welsh farmer-co-operative, and one of our key objectives is to ensure that we contribute as much as we possibly can to our local communities.

“I know a few people that are involved in the running of local food banks and of the demands being put upon them at this difficult time and it made me think about how we could support them.

“These are challenging times for everyone, but especially for those who are struggling to put food on the table for their families.”

#FeedtheNation

Farmers Weekly is getting behind the #FeedtheNation campaign to back UK farmers working flat out to produce safe, affordable and reliable food to feed the nation during the coronavirus crisis.

With our partners, we are raising public awareness of this campaign by highlighting the actions farmers are taking to get food to consumers.

Join in the campaign by sharing your stories with us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #FeedtheNation or email us at philip.case@markallengroup.com or telephone 020 8652 4905.