TRANSITION Bro Gwaun has scooped an award from a national town and city regeneration charity.

The Transition Cafe in Fishguard was announced as the Wales Zone Impact category winner in the 10th annual Towns Alive Awards for 2014.

The community cafe’s surplus food project reduces food waste and saves carbon by stopping food going to landfill.

Volunteers and staff collect perfectly good food that local businesses and people would otherwise throw away and turn it into affordable and healthy meals.

The project has prevented an average of 100kg of food going to landfill each week – equivalent to a weekly carbon saving of 400kg.

The cafe is open four days per week and hosts some weekend and evening events.

Its menu changes regularly, depending on what food has been given. Staff and volunteers receive food safety and hygiene training and the cafe has a grade 5 food hygiene rating.

The project has raised the Transition movement’s message considerably within the community and has attracted a much wider range of people, both as volunteers and users, than have previously engaged in TBG’s environmental initiatives.

It is also providing valuable work experience opportunities to young unemployed people.

The Towns Alive Awards judge said: “Waste not want not! This lovely project cuts carbon by using surplus food. It’s becoming a catalyst for environmental action – and is supporting local people.”

Transition Bro Gwaun will now go on to compete for the overall Towns Alive National Award in November.