2024: The Big Bocs Bwyd scheme reduces local food waste in Wales
A new scheme from the Welsh government is reducing food waste and providing hands-on learning opportunities for pupils. ‘The Big Bocs Bywd’ – translated in English as ‘The Big Food Box’ is providing food growing and storage facilities to schools in Wales, along with a ‘Pay As You Feel’ shop that allows those in need to purchase low cost but high quality food.
Some schools also have additional growing spaces, woodlands, poly tunnels, bee hives.
The aims of the project include:
- Help improve the wellbeing of the families who use the BBB
- Contribute to the reduction of food poverty/food insecurity via the ‘Pay As You Feel’ shop
- Help improve nutritional intake
- Increase parental involvement and engagement in ways that suit them (e.g. buying from the Pay As You Feel shop, volunteering with food growing aspects of the projects etc.)
- To share lessons learnt with the next phase of BBB installation
- To develop learning resources that will ensure BBBs become a focal point for experiential learning about food – nutrition, cooking and growing.
- Measurably reduce food waste
- Children will become more confident and literate about the connections between food, nature and the economy
- Children and families will develop a solid level of food literacy and confidence around how to process, cook, and use food as a foundation for health through experiential learning.
- Children will have an improved awareness of the benefits and potential of relocalising food production and distributio
One participating school, Cwmfelin Primary School, describes the benefit to local businesses of reducing waste, donated surplus food and toiletries to us in a bid to help families in our school and local community.
Find out more about this innovative scheme by visiting the Big Boc Bywd website.