Happy Harvest and Holm House

DRINKING cappuccino, eating a Welsh cake and chatting with my friend Amanda whilst gazing out to sea from the terrace of Holm House, I really can believe that the world is a calm and peaceful place, full of charm and grace, good food and kindness. The autumn mid-morning sun flirted with the water, tickling its surface and showing off its sparkle and the faint clink of glasses and scrape of plates, wafted out to us from the languid brunch munches in the dining room.

Amanda and I agreed we were very lucky souls to have fetched up and taken root in these parts.

Sadly, we acknowledged that this isn’t an experience shared by all. There are food security issues around the world.

There are shortages and very real hunger faced daily by those abroad but also across the UK, including our corner of Wales. There are Foodbanks in Barry, Cardiff and Penarth.

Eating for pleasure is something so many of us take for granted, we dabble in food, we play with it, we waste it. I shop regularly, try new flavours, experiment with ingredients but even on days when it’s been a while since a ‘big shop’ or a ‘pop around Penarth’, it is rare that I have a food cupboard or fridge that couldn’t yield some sort of nourishment and if an unexpected friend calls in, I can pretty much always rustle up some goodies from something and somewhere.

For some though, eating becomes something removed from pleasure, it is functional, it keeps them alive and the daily act of getting food, particularly healthy, nutritious food is a struggle.

That same morning, before Amanda and I popped to Holm House, I had stood in my kitchen listening to the full acoustic set of my son’s repertoire to be sung at the forthcoming Harvest Festival. As a recent choir joiner this was to be his first performance.

His loud voice and puffed out chest, displayed his pride. He clutched his words but looked up frequently, a grin making his already adorable features even more cute, if at all possible (no bias to my writing of course, not at all).

He sang of food grown around the world, of gratitude and peace and sweetly conveyed what I think we must all surely aspire for, a world where everyone has enough to eat, where everyone can live in peace and we are all humble and appreciative of this, recognising its value and importance.

Holm House is a beautiful setting. The service, surroundings and sweet treats are stunning, but a flask of tea whilst stood on the pier would’ve afforded the same view for less cost.

I think it is important to enjoy our luxuries, to revel in special moments but crucial also to take time to think about those less fortunate and in recognising the good food we have, place a real value on it as we never know, none of us, when it may become a daily struggle for us too.