North Wales: ‘Potato Day’

photos by Gemma Jones

When Katja Jewell, CAFOD’s Manager for the North Wales region, visited Bolivia in 2007, she learned that 80% of the food eaten there is potatoes. So upon her return to the UK Katja decided to name a CAFOD North Wales Youth Conference, ‘Potato Day’. Five years on, this now annual event is still proving popular as ever with young people eager to take part in workshops, and learn about the latest CAFOD campaigns.

Katja says: “We’ve always launched our new campaign at this event, so people are generally delighted to be first to get involved in the campaign. This time the name actually links to the campaign, which is great!”

This year’s ‘Potato Day’ was held on Sunday, 21 October in Noddfa, a centre run by the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Mary in Penmaenmawr. Noddfa is a Welsh word meaning refuge, and it was in this idyllic setting that Rachel McCarthy from the Campaigns team introduced the latest CAFOD campaign: ‘Hungry for Change’.

The campaign questions why one in eight people do not have enough to eat, despite there being no shortage of food produced. Much discussion followed this presentation, with Anna Jane Evans from Christian Aid also speaking of the importance of unity and working together on this issue. After a shared lunch, this included potatoes, of course! This very enthusiastic group gathered in the afternoon to identify how they could work in their own communities to support CAFOD and the ‘Hungry for Change’ campaign. Lots of eager discussion followed as the young people identified how they wanted to get involved in the campaign, and what they wanted to do in their communities to support this. CAFOD’s work is rooted in Catholic Social Teaching, and this day was no different.

Matthew’s Gospel of the Feeding of the 5000 was at the centre of this day, and in the concluding prayers the young people inspired by the day’s events lit candles to show their support for the ‘Hungry for Change’ campaign and all the people throughout the world who do not have enough to eat.

For more information see: www.cafodnorthwales.wordpress.com

To see more photos by Gemma Jones go to: www.facebook.com/CafodNW#!/photo.php?fbid=479685572076057&set=a.479684898742791.114559.403992276312054&type=1&theater