Written question WQ86671

We have continued to utilise the Fund to support the Food and Social Care sectors of the Foundational Economy, as well as helping contractors to engage in delivery of the Optimised Retrofit Programme (ORP) for housing. Follow up work from these initiatives will help shape future use of the Fund.

Specific activities include;

• a grant scheme which funded 46 Welsh food businesses to secure the necessary accreditation to bid for public sector contract tenders.

• a Sustainable Food Recruitment Campaign to help address vacancies in the food sector, which has resulted in almost 200 of 248 advertised vacancies being filled

• funding two scoping studies by the Welsh Fishing Association – one on a new entrant scheme to help future proof the industry and the other, looking at measures to improve the fishing industry.

• supporting a feasibility study by Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board for a Local Food Model to re-localise food supply chains, based on applying social entrepreneurship strategies

• commissioning Cwmpas to develop proposals aimed at helping grow the involvement of Wales’ Third Sector organisations in the delivery of public services.

• funding a scheme to help support Social Care residential care providers to adopt energy efficient and low-carbon approaches

• working in partnership with the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) to help 5 local SME construction firms enhance their decarbonisation capabilities.

• supporting a pilot study to enhance our understanding of the approaches and support required to maximise the number of Welsh businesses securing contracts in delivery of the ORP programme.