TY - JOUR

T1 - Coronavirus’ exposure of food, place and community resilience: a Welsh local authority perspective

AU - Jones, Rebecca

AU - Lane, Eifiona

AU - Prosser, Luke

PY - 2022/9/23

Y1 - 2022/9/23

N2 - PurposeCoronavirus has accentuated the cracks within the fragile UK food system. Empty shelves and empty stomachs, the damaging consequences of coronavirus have led to an unprecedented increase in food insecurity and food access. The purpose of this paper is to provide in-depth insight into varied and innovative rural localised responses to food access during the pandemic.Design/methodology/approachThis study draws on multiple perspectives of those working to combat food insecurity, inequality and inaccessibility in Gwynedd, exploring food access initiatives and their responses to the pandemic, innovative food distribution collaborations and the role of maintaining already fragile rural communities.FindingsThis study concludes that the need for transformative place-making to build stronger, more resilient communities has never been more pressing, with support from public sector funding to help alleviate some of the hardships and pressure with the rise in poverty and austerity, coronavirus imposed or not.Originality/valueThis study focuses on a single local authority area in North Wales, Gwynedd, an area where little food research has been published to date. The coronavirus pandemic also places the timely research within the scope of food access and distribution during hardship. This study discusses the impacts exposed by the pandemic and lessons that can be drawn and reflected on for future benefit.

AB - PurposeCoronavirus has accentuated the cracks within the fragile UK food system. Empty shelves and empty stomachs, the damaging consequences of coronavirus have led to an unprecedented increase in food insecurity and food access. The purpose of this paper is to provide in-depth insight into varied and innovative rural localised responses to food access during the pandemic.Design/methodology/approachThis study draws on multiple perspectives of those working to combat food insecurity, inequality and inaccessibility in Gwynedd, exploring food access initiatives and their responses to the pandemic, innovative food distribution collaborations and the role of maintaining already fragile rural communities.FindingsThis study concludes that the need for transformative place-making to build stronger, more resilient communities has never been more pressing, with support from public sector funding to help alleviate some of the hardships and pressure with the rise in poverty and austerity, coronavirus imposed or not.Originality/valueThis study focuses on a single local authority area in North Wales, Gwynedd, an area where little food research has been published to date. The coronavirus pandemic also places the timely research within the scope of food access and distribution during hardship. This study discusses the impacts exposed by the pandemic and lessons that can be drawn and reflected on for future benefit.

KW - Sense of place

KW - Food insecurity

KW - Inequality

KW - Poverty

KW - coronavirus

KW - Place-based approach

U2 - https://doi.org/10.1108/JPMD-02-2021-0014

DO - https://doi.org/10.1108/JPMD-02-2021-0014

M3 - Article

VL - 15

SP - 476

EP - 492

JO - Journal of Place Management and Development

JF - Journal of Place Management and Development

SN - 1753-8335

IS - 4

ER -