People with learning disabilities in the Hywel Dda region have often missed out on mainstream nutrition and wellbeing services. That changes this year. The Community Healthy Lifestyle Café is now open, thanks to £11,700 in funding from Hywel Dda Health Charities. The project brings together practical education, community support, and a welcoming, non-clinical space.
The main sessions run each month at the National Botanic Garden of Wales. More events are planned in Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire before the year ends. Each session covers a different part of healthy living. There are hands-on workshops about healthy eating and hydration, movement, wellbeing, and direct access to specialist advice. The program is for participants, carers, self-advocacy groups, and healthcare professionals. The goal is to spread knowledge and confidence far beyond the café itself.
The Welsh National Food Strategy prioritizes reducing health inequalities linked to poor nutrition and food poverty, emphasizing access to fresh, nutrient-dense foods and practical nutrition education for all communities.
This project lines up with the Welsh government's national food policy. That policy targets health and wellbeing, prevention of diet-related diseases, and better food literacy. By focusing on accessible, evidence-based nutrition education, the café answers the policy's call to cut inequalities caused by poor diets and limited access to healthy food. The National Botanic Garden of Wales was chosen as a venue for its commitment to inclusivity. UK public venues must provide accessibility and support for people with disabilities, including free entry for carers and wheelchair-accessible routes as outlined by the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.
Lisa Bassett-Gravelle, Head of Adult Mental Health Inpatient Wards and the Learning Disabilities Service, says the project is possible because of donors' generosity. She believes it will make a real difference for everyone involved. Tracey Lloyd, Clinical Lead Nurse Learning Disabilities, points out that people with learning disabilities still face big barriers to mainstream services, even though they often have the worst health inequalities. She calls the café a safe, inclusive place where people can build practical skills and confidence.
Kate Hall, Clinical Lead Dietitian Mental Health & Learning Disabilities, sees another key benefit. The café will help participants and carers feel more at ease with health services. It gives them real knowledge about nutrition, hydration, and movement. The project uses a co-production model, with support from Carmarthenshire People First. This means every activity is shaped by lived experience and stays accessible and meaningful for those taking part.
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Between 250 and 340 people are expected to benefit in the first year. This includes participants, carers, support staff, and healthcare professionals. Nicola Llewelyn, Head of Hywel Dda Health Charities, says: "Your generosity enables us to fund projects that go above and beyond NHS core expenditure such as this Community Healthy Lifestyle Café which will have a such a positive and lasting impact on the lives of people with learning disabilities and their families."
Nutrition and healthy eating here are not just ideas-they are practical and real. The café's hands-on learning and direct work with dietitians and health professionals is different from the generic advice found elsewhere. This approach matches the need for tailored nutrition support, as reported earlier about the value of accessible, evidence-based nutrition guidance for different needs.
The launch event is set for Friday 25th September at the National Botanic Garden of Wales. Anyone interested can see for themselves how inclusive nutrition education can change lives. For more details or to attend, Hywel Dda Health Charities has contact information and resources on their website.
This project stands out because it does not treat nutrition as a one-size-fits-all plan. By focusing on the real experiences of people with learning disabilities and their carers, the Community Healthy Lifestyle Café brings practical, useful education where it is needed most. This is targeted, community-driven nutrition support. The Hywel Dda region now has a working model for inclusive, evidence-based healthy eating education-one that other communities could learn from and use.
