December 2021
Issue 1
Alt.Cardiff If it’s offbeat and in Cardiff, then it’s in here
Children facing food poverty What will their Christmas look like?
Alt | News
Good people with good causes Dog fosterers are helping abandoned dogs
Zero-waste shop Ripple Living is urging people to reduce their single-use packaging this winter after its recent refurbishments
Volunteers have been offering their help to get abandoned dogs back on their paws at the dog rescue charity Hope Rescue. The charity based in Llanharan has experienced high demand for their services following the easing of Covid-19 restrictions. Sara Rosser, 36, head of welfare and adoption at the charity’s rescue centre, said the volunteers have been a “huge help” during this busy time. Sara shared that more volunteers than previous years have fostered dogs. There are around 72 furry guests currently staying with volunteers. Sara said, “Not only is it good for their welfare but it means we can have more dogs at the centre.”
Words by Tenielle Jordison
Sophie Rae, founder of Ripple Living
efill shop Ripple Living is encouraging people to make sustainable purchases this Christmas following its relaunch earlier this month. The zero-waste shop opened in 2018 and offers its customers refillable food and toiletry products, including shampoos and conditioners, spices, and frozen vegetables . The shop expanded next door in 2019 to sell other sustainable products. It reopened in early November after refurbishments. Sophie Rae, the founder of Ripple Living on Albany Road, Roath, explained it is a “community shop.” She reinvested into the business to provide a better space for the local community to enjoy. Sophie, 33, said, “It doesn’t surprise me that something new brings new people in. “Since October I’ve really felt like there’s been a breath of fresh air in the community and offering them something beautiful and accessible
has really engaged them.” Carina Harrigan, 38, is a Ripple Living shopper who will personally shop sustainably this Christmas. “I’m all for using as little plastic as possible and it’s just cheaper to buy from here,” she said. Discouraging single-use packaging is what Sophie aimed to do when she set up her business. The Cardiff born-and-bred entrepreneur wanted to “shake things up” in the city she believed didn’t do enough for sustainability and the planet. The Welsh Government estimated that 33 million units of single-use food containers are sold each year in Wales. They have proposed to ban them as a result. Sophie will continue to encourage her local community to reduce their use of single-use packaging and support small businesses like hers this Christmas. The shop owner and her team will show the community what refill is about in the hope they’ll join in. Sophie recognised shopping sustainably isn’t always as easy as clicking online and getting a delivery, but urged, “We’re at the point now where I don’t know if we cannot shop like this.”
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Pictured left and below: A range of Ripple Living’s refillable ingredients
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MoRunning returns to support men’s mental health It’s time to get those running shoes back on and head to Bute Park as the Movember charity event MoRunning returns to the city of Cardiff on 13 November. MoRunning is an annual event held by Fix Events, raising awareness and funds for issues facing men. Its return is welcomed just in time as men’s mental health in Wales raises concern. The Samaritans’ 2020 data shows that males were four times more likely to struggle with suicide than females in Wales. Dave Krangel, 50, directing manager of Fix Events, is particularly keen to get back out there to target this issue. He explained there’s nothing wrong with expressing emotions, but added there is still an issue with men not wanting to open up.
Photo credit for all images on pages 2-3: Tenielle Jordison
Refill shop is encouraging a sustainable Christmas following its reopening
Alt | Interview
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I didn’t think any of my work would go out the four walls of my mother’s dining room spending time in the USA. It was in Venice Beach, Los Angeles where Moray’s newfound friends saw her designs and encouraged her to make her own bespoke handbags. She flew home to Wales and has spent the last two years working from her mother’s dining room table.
The timing was crazy The budding designer took the first steps towards setting up her company just before Covid-19 hit the UK. She started business training on the Welsh Government’s Accelerated Growth Programme two months before the first lockdown in early 2020 and registered as a company only one month before. “All of the timing was crazy,” she says while running her fingers through her hair. Months of anxiety followed, with society shutting down and causing a series of delays to her business. Moray feared that her company would become another casualty of the pandemic. She caught Covid-19 last December at the same time as her mother. This took a toll on her mental health. “I went through a dark time,” Moray says frankly, stroking her dog, Kenneth.
The Welsh handbag designer who emerged out of lockdown Moray Luke was not expecting her handbag company to survive in the face of the pandemic
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aving a handbag line named after yourself is a fashionista’s dream, but it’s been a turbulent two years in the making for Moray Luke (pictured above). The 26-year-old thanks the support she received during the pandemic for the survival of her company, Moray Luke. The eccentric company director from Kenfig, near Porthcawl, has been creating fashion designs since she was 12. She obtained her printmaking degree 11 years later from the University of Brighton before
Unsolicited support It became difficult to envision a big break happening. She shakes her head and explains, “I didn’t think any of my work would go out the four walls of my mother’s dining room.” Moray’s face lights up as she explains that people started to help her just as she lost hope. The gesture Moray remembers the most is that of Paul Alger. She sent the director of international affairs from the UK Fashion and Textiles Association photos of her handbags and he responded with a phone call. He told the entrepreneur she was talented and offered her coaching. “I’ll start crying if I think about it,” Moray says. “People are acting on their hearts,” she smiles and wipes the tears from her brown eyes. This unsolicited support has enabled Moray to successfully set up her company. She is now launching her handbag collections. Attending Fashion Week events in London and Paris with her own handbags feels surreal to the woman who was stuck in lockdown just 18 months ago. Moray won’t forget the help she was given during the pandemic to get here. “My dream has come true. I’m really lucky to find out what that’s like,” she says beaming with gratitude. She adds, “It’s a really raw experience.”
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Festivities without food
Photo credit: Xavi Cabrera on Unsplash
Alt | Feature
How holiday food traditions won’t be possible for many children facing food poverty in South Wales Words by Tenielle Jordison
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or many, Christmas traditions include revealed that Newport saw the highest increase gathering with family for a big meal. in unemployment in Wales over the last year. The Extra helpings happen without a second city’s unemployment rate increased by 4.4% to thought and passing around mince pies make 6.2% between July 2020 and June 2021. for the perfect end to the day. For the children This comes as the coronavirus pandemic facing food poverty, the privilege of experiencing affected the labour market and led to redundancy traditions such as this isn’t always possible. in many sectors across the UK, particularly the Food poverty, or food insecurity, is something motor vehicles industry. many families in South Wales have battled with The parents of the children Chelsey and her for a long time. Anxiety is a constant feeling for colleagues work with have been “hit hard” by the parents who never know where the next meal unemployment. Sourcing sufficient food is a for their children will weekly issue, especially come from. because the children often We’ve seen a lot of Recent increases in come from large families of both unemployment to eight siblings. families going without upRising and food prices are food prices aren’t food and on the impacting those already making the situation any struggling with food easier, as the British Retail cusp of homelessness insecurity in Newport. Consortium (BRC) expects Chelsey Maddern, from this Christmas to be an youth charity the Community Youth Project in expensive one. Food prices saw a 0.3% increase Newport, said, “We’ve definitely witnessed it.” for the first time in October in 10 months and it The Community Youth Project is a scheme run won’t be stopping there. by the Community House charity based in the Helen Dickinson, chief executive of BRC, neighbourhood of Maindee. It helps young people stated, “Tight margins mean retailers may not be aged around 6-25 who come from struggling able to absorb all of these new costs, so prices families in the area. Youth workers like Chelsey will continue to rise.” This follows a BRC survey do a variety of things to help the young people of which showed three in five retailers expect prices the city, including making food parcels. to increase this festive season. “We’ve seen a lot of families going without Chelsey explained the parents can’t always food and on the cusp of homelessness, especially afford healthier foods because they are expensive. through Covid-19,” the 23-year-old explained. This leaves the children with few options when it The Welsh Government’s annual labour survey comes to eating substantially this winter.
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Alt | Feature
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A meal for all
Christmas won’t look like Christmas. It won’t, and it never has
With a clear need for food aid, FoodCycle recently landed in Newport to help. The national charity takes surplus food from businesses and supermarkets and cooks it into free meals for anyone that wants to comes along. It has been running weekly in Newport since September and many of the Community Youth Project children attend the gathering. Uncertainty this Christmas Alex Hatherly, 29, South West regional manager of Even though initiatives like FoodCycle are making FoodCycle, explained the children get to try different healthy food accessible weekly, uncertainty still vegetables at the meal they otherwise couldn’t. They looms this winter for the children in food poverty. sometimes react with “funny faces” to the foods but The holiday season particularly brings they always end up enjoying it. unguaranteed access to healthy and substantial food “One of the kids was like ‘This is a 20/10’, it’s because the children aren’t covered by school meals. really nice to have that feedback,” said a FoodCycle Chelsey and Sarah expect that the children won’t volunteer from Newport. Her role is to cook for and have the big Christmas dinner most others enjoy. serve the guests and she finds the gratitude of the Instead, “It will be something they always eat,” said children rewarding. Chelsey, “Nothing fancy.” The Community Youth Project workers are equally While the rest of Wales indulges in food this grateful for FoodCycle because it ensures the Christmas, traditions will be something many of children are having a hot meal at least once a week. these children won’t experience. As Sarah said, “We don’t know if they’re being fed day-to-day, we “Christmas won’t look like Christmas” for these don’t know what they’re being fed at home. Parents children. “It won’t, and it never has.” only tell you so much because there is such shame and stigma around poverty,” explained Chelsey. Sarah Miller, 29, lead youth and community worker at the project, added that the children enjoy the concept of the three-course meal they experience at the gathering. “I remember in week one they didn’t know what it meant,” she said. Now the children eagerly await Friday to come around so they can be served at FoodCycle volunteers cook for and serve guests, as well as join them for the meal. Photo credit: Tenielle Jordison their meal.
Charities that offer food aid services in Newport FoodCycle
Feed Newport
Raven House Trust
What: Free cooked meal
What: Food bank, free supermarket surplus, and more
What: Food bank
Where: Community House, Eton Road, Newport, NP19 0BL When: Friday, 6.30pm onwards
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Where: 192 Commercial Road Newport, NP20 2PP When: Saturday-Thursday, 10.00am-2.00pm
Where: 276-278 Cromwell Road, Newport, NP19 OHT When: Tuesday-Friday, 9.15am4.15pm