Two care homes in Cardiff have gathered donations to help local families in need. To celebrate Harvest Festival, Care UK’s Llys Herbert, on Ty-Draw Road, and Llys Cyncoed, on Cyncoed Road, encouraged the local community to donate their extra, unused or unwanted non-perishable food items to the homes’ very own foodbank drop-off points.
Each year, Harvest Festival celebrates the time when crops have been gathered from fields and people can reflect and show gratitude for the food that they have. It dates back to when people relied on local crops for food and farmers would give thanks for a good harvest. This is the first time both homes have joined forces and orchestrated food bank donations for the local community through Cardiff Food Bank. Llys Cyncoed set up an online platform for donations, while Llys Herbert donated items from residents, team members, and friends of the home.
Local youngsters from St Bernadette’s Primary School also joined residents at Llys Herbert for a special harvest-themed activity session where everyone enjoyed a sing-along, target games, creating book hedgehogs and potato printing. Residents have been busy getting into the Harvest Festival spirit with creative activities including making table decorations and scarecrows. With the help of the team, residents have also created outdoor autumnal displays, decorating wreaths and using upcycled wooden pallets and plastic bottles.
To get residents’ toes tapping, the home hosted a ‘Down on the Farm’ music session complete with barn and line dancing. The care team at Llys Cyncoed marked the occasion by adorning the home with autumnal decorations and participating in singing Harvest Festival songs with the residents. Residents and team members also enjoyed taking part in a raffle made up of items provided by the care team.
Dorothy Pye, Interim Home Manager at Llys Herbert, said: “We are always looking for ways to give back and support our community and local charities, which is why we’re delighted to be partnering with Cardiff Food Bank and launching our first ever foodbank drop-off point. In these challenging times, we know many people may be struggling, and with Christmas fast approaching, it’s more important than ever to support food banks which provide a vital lifeline for many members of our local community. We’d encourage those who have unwanted or unused items to come and visit Llys Herbert and support us to help those in need.”
Virgil Octavian Frincu, General Manager at Llys Cyncoed, said: “We are committed to making a positive impact in our communities, which is why this Harvest Festival, we’re proud to be working with Cardiff Food Bank to establish a foodbank drop-off point at our care home. This initiative allows us to come together with residents, their families, and the wider community to support those in need during these challenging times. By working together, we can help ensure that everyone has access to essential supplies as we celebrate the season of giving and gratitude.”
To find out more about Care UK’s Harvest Festival, please visit: careuk.com/harvest-festival