News:

Making a Meal of Food Festival

Gorseinon's first ever food festival has been supported by the Welsh Assembly's First Minister, Carwyn Jones. The event, which is due to be held on Saturday, 24th Aprilt the Canolfan Gorseinon Centre will see more than 60 produce stalls. The First Minister backed the festival on a visit to the state-of-the-art centre in February where he met with the food festival committee. It is being financially assisted by the Welsh Assembly through European Union funding to support the development of food festivals and events that promote local producers and the Taste of Wales brand.

Foods will range from local seafood, preserves, vegetarian, organic, honey and drinks. There will also be face painting, games and live music. Gorseinon Trust chairman Andrew Donald said: "We have over 60 stalls already paid up to attend the festival. It will be an event to tickle the taste buds of the most demandig of connoisseurs."

Article from South Wales Evening Post on Wednesday, April 13 2010.

Kelvin Jones CEO

The shadow of heavy industry has all but faded from the area in its wake it has left talented communities and passionate individuals wishing to make a difference and improve opportunities for family friends neighbours and future generations that’s what the Gorseinon development trust is about.

We came together in 2001 a community response to the job losses and degradation of our environment from the closure of Corus Bryngwyn works. We did not want to see an area of redundant blue sheds decaying.

Whilst mourning the loss of employment we celebrated our proud past and challenged what the future could be for our community.

We actively developed services and opportunities identified in and by our community through our Canolfan Gorseinon centre which proves what can be done with vision, partnership and hard work from a community who will not except change without trying to make it better change.

The centre has provided the focus for the creation of some 50 jobs 36 full and part time created by the trust alone and the skills we are learning as a community in developing the centre has highlighted other job creation opportunities.

We have provided childcare, training meeting and conference facilities, business start up spaces and spaces used by community groups and agencies in supporting people back into works training or education or just meeting to have a chat in our cafe . We are developing events and activities to bring people into the area celebrating our unique location, culture, history and vibrant local products and character.

Through doing this we have moved away from total grants dependency and through our activities income generate well over 90% of our expenditure.

But we cannot do this on our own

If you support our aims to provide opportunities for future generations create services and facilities for use by local groups and agencies please join us membership is available from our centre.

Schools

All the schools taking part in the Food Festival now have their own section of the website. Click on the link in the navigation bar to find out the latest infomation on the schools competition.

Facebook

We are pleased to announce that we have created a Facebook group for the Food Festival. This group has regular text and image updates regarding the festival. To access this group, click on the above link in the navigation bar.

Millie's Market

Shirley Price has been running her own business, Millie’s Market, for the last 3 years. She handcrafts many items for the home utilizing the skills she learnt into her early years. She has sold these beautiful items at various markets and fairs throughout Swansea and in the last year in conjunction with her friend Sian Day has opened Penllergaer Local Produce Market which is held on the first Saturday of every month from Penllergaer Village Hall, Swansea.

The market has 20 stalls with items ranging from locally produced foodstuffs to handcrafted jewelry. So keen are Shirley and Sian to support local producers they have exciting plans to open a 2nd market later this year.

Mr Bill Sweetman chair of the organizing committee of the Gorseinon Food Festival, approached Shirley last year, and along with the encouragement of the Canolfan Centre development trust, has given her this opportunity and she is now dedicated member of the team.

Kids Cooking Academy

Sian Day proprietor of "KIDS COOKING ACADEMY" will be officially launching the new cookery school at the food festival. there will be an interactive stand for children to try out their culinary skills. Sian has set up the school for children 4 - 16 yrs through workshops, parties, schools work, clubs and courses and community events.

Sian is delighted to be a part of the Gorseinon Food Festival, and has benefited from the involvement and support given by the trust.

Hot Off The Press

John Dignam, age 20 has been playing acoustic guitar for 5 years and is currently studding economics at Swansea University. His first piece called "Rosie" has been played on BBC Radio 2 and has recently toured the UK with a group known as Acoustic Guitar Heaven. In July 2010, he has been invited to play in America at the prestigious Chet Atkin Appreciation Society in Nashville, Tennessee.

John was born in Gorseinon (now living in Langland) and is supporting this festival for free. The organizing committee wish to thank him for his support and wish him good luck for the future.
www.johndignam.tk

Gorseinon Schools get Involved

Gorseinon Schools are planning to be involved in the very first Food Festival. Students will be competing in awards for food related products and to date every primary and secondary school(s) in the area has shown an interest in taking part in this very exciting development for Gorseinon.

Local Produce Traders

Local Produce Traders will be present on the day with their own mix of fresh local produce for sale at the event, look out for "special" show offers from these traders from the local markets at Mumbles, Sketty, Pontardulais, Penclawdd, Pennard and Penllergaer.