URGENT UPDATE: A Cardiff street has transformed into a “walk-through advent calendar,” igniting community spirit and raising over £700 for Cardiff Foodbank. Residents of Canada Road in the Gabalfa area have come together, unveiling unique festive displays each day leading up to Christmas.
The initiative kicked off on December 1 with the first window created by students from St Monica’s Church in Wales Primary School alongside Morgans Consult. The project has garnered widespread support from local businesses and community members, with the advent windows set to remain visible until January 5, the traditional date for dismantling decorations.
Organiser Nic Humphries expressed his astonishment at the community’s generosity, stating, “Every day there is something new to look forward to which for me has really brightened up walking the dog in all this rain.”
Head teacher Abigail Cuthbert of St Monica’s shared the excitement: “We are very happy to get involved and help our new neighbors support Cardiff Foodbank and the wonderful services it provides.”
Managing director of Morgans Consult, Mike Kitchin, emphasized the importance of this community effort, noting, “Seeing residents, schools, and local businesses come together to bring a little extra Christmas warmth to the local area, while raising vital funds to support struggling families, has been amazing to see.”
This marks the second year for the “advent windows project,” but the first time it has been used as a fundraiser. Planning began in October, with residents voting to support Cardiff Foodbank, part of the Trussell network, which provides emergency food and support to those in crisis.
Rachel Biggs, CEO of Cardiff Foodbank, expressed gratitude for the community’s efforts, stating, “This is such a lovely community-led fundraiser; we’re really grateful for all the donations and very excited to see the rest of the window displays as they are revealed.” Last winter, Cardiff Foodbank distributed enough food to create 47,907 meals, with over half of the recipients being children.
Residents and visitors are encouraged to participate in this heartwarming initiative. To contribute to the fundraiser, donations can be made through the project’s JustGiving page. For those in need of emergency food, vouchers can be obtained via the Cardiff Foodbank website.
Stay tuned for updates as more festive displays are revealed daily, continuing the spirit of giving throughout the Christmas season.
