Ein Cegin is a community kitchen based in West Wales, working to make nourishing, sustainable food accessible to everyone. Through community-led cooking workshops — co-designed with participants and delivered in partnership with local support services — they bring people together to cook, eat and connect.
At the heart of Ein Cegin’s work is a simple belief: everyone should have access to food that is good for people and the planet. Their programmes also explore the barriers that prevent people from accessing nourishing food, while helping communities reconnect with local and sustainable food systems.
Where the idea started…
Through conversations with families taking part in their sessions, a question began to surface: how could this learning carry on beyond the workshops and into everyday life?
Those conversations led Ein Cegin to think more deeply about how families could build lasting relationships with their local food system. Out of that, an idea began to take shape — creating new ways to connect local families with local producers and the food grown around them.
Local producers meet the local community
Ein Cegin had already been exploring what this might look like in practice. The idea was simple but grounded: a farmers’ market with local producers, alongside practical ways to help families feel confident engaging with it.To take this further, they reached out to Egin.
“I was a bit sceptical at first, but I can’t stress enough how much I loved the mentoring process.” Sophie, co-founder and director of Ein Cegin
Tailored mentoring support through Egin helped shape the process
Through Egin, the group was matched with mentors Steve Garrett and Dave Horton, whose experience closely matched what the project needed — from setting up farmers’ markets to exploring creative approaches to evaluation.
“The matching process made me feel really heard. The mentors understood exactly what I needed. Because the mentoring was so focused, the time felt really well spent.” Sophie
The conversations helped the team pin down their priorities and look again at how they gathered feedback. Rather than relying only on forms, they began weaving feedback into the sessions themselves.
Putting ideas into practice and belonging into the hands of the community
Ideas from those mentoring conversations were quickly put into practice.
Ein Cegin trialled ‘shop local’ vouchers to help families access produce from the market, while encouraging engagement with local producers. They also introduced more informal, creative ways of gathering feedback — inviting participants to write their thoughts on container lids and other everyday materials.
This approach kept things open and accessible, while capturing more honest reflections.
Alongside this, the community created textile banners to hang in Cardigan’s Guild Hall — celebrating local food and helping to build a shared sense that the market belonged to them.
What’s beginning to shift?
The community market supported by Ein Cegin is already creating visible change.
Around 25 local producers have come together to sell their produce, strengthening the local food economy and creating new connections between growers and the community.
People who might not typically shop at farmers’ markets are now attending regularly, such as Flying Start families in the local area. They have been engaging with producers and learning directly about seasonal produce and how it is grown.
“I was a little bit anxious about going but felt better for meeting Carys (Flying Start worker) at the farmers market. The atmosphere was lovely and welcoming. I honestly would go again and the cheese especially was a massive hit with my family. Thank you so much” Flying Start family
The market is also becoming a social space in its own right, where conversation is as important as what’s on sale.
‘The market is all about helping to connect local people to their food system in a meaningful way and people are coming along who might not usually shop at farmers’ markets. Families tell us they feel it is a social place — there’s no pressure to buy. Producers get to share their stories and talk about their food. It’s a gentle form of education.’ – Sophie
This work is particularly significant in Ceredigion, which has one of the highest rates of child poverty in Wales. Through ongoing evaluation and community feedback, the project is helping to better understand the barriers that prevent families from accessing it.
A meaningful moment of genuine co-production
One moment stands out as particularly meaningful for Sophie, Ein Cegin’s co-founder and director.
During one of the markets, local MP Ben Lake visited the market to see the quilted banners made in collaboration with textile artist Sophie Snow. Families who’d helped make the banners also joined.
‘I was really moved, families were confidently talking about which veg on the banner they’d made. It’s a genuine co-production. We wanted the banners to be a celebration of community ownership and belonging. It’s incredibly powerful to feel part of something.’
What’s next for Ein Cegin?
Ein Cegin now hopes to secure Egin grant funding that will allow the market to run more regularly, as much of the work behind it is currently voluntary.
“Having financial support that recognises the coordination and administration involved would make a huge difference.” Sophie told us.
The next step is strengthening and further developing partnerships with organisations such as Flying Start and local health visitors, helping more families access the market.
Want to hear more about Ein Cegin and the incredible work they are doing feed the hearts and stomachs of their community? Check out their website.
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