The giant gingerbread house appeared magically overnight outside Cardiff Central Library to encourage more visitors to the city this December.
With scented smoke bellowing from the chimney, decorations of icing, candy canes and sweets, the gingerbread house is a feast for the senses for visitors coming to Cardiff to do their Christmas shopping.
FOR Cardiff are working with Visit Cardiff on the #GingerbreadMun campaign to draw more visitors to the city centre. Special prize giveaways and a programme of festive entertainment will take place between 1pm and 2pm every Thursday to Sunday, starting from Saturday 1st December.
A gingerbread house has appeared by @cdflibraries in The Hayes. Created by @wild_creations (they of Ball in the Wall fame) for @FOR_Cardiff, it features scented smoke bellowing from the chimney, entertainment and’ll raise money for @GiveDIFFerently. #GingerbreadMun https://t.co/uDXexyHfzF
— I Loves The ‘Diff (@ILovesTheDiff) November 30, 2018
But it’s not just about increased footfall, FOR Cardiff hope that people visiting the gingerbread house over the festive period will make a donation to help reduce homelessness in Cardiff through Give DIFFerently.
Interactive donation points have been installed on the windows of the house created by the people behind the ‘Ball in the Wall’, Wild Creations. Members of the public can simply tap their phone on the window or scan a QR code to make an online donation to the fund which launched earlier this year.
For every tap or scan, 100% of the money raised will contribute to small grants, distributed through the city’s frontline services to those who are currently experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness.
Adrian Field, FOR Cardiff Executive Director said:
“Our remit at FOR Cardiff is to make Cardiff a welcoming and vibrant place for everyone and Christmas is certainly the busiest time of year for the city centre. We want people to visit the #GingerbreadMun House to take in the festive atmosphere and support the high street this Christmas, including independent traders. It’s also important to remember that it’s the most difficult time of year for homeless people who are sleeping rough in the capital. Which is why we’ve added the contactless donation points to the windows. We really hope visitors love it as much as we do.”
Visit the #GingerbreadMun House from Friday 30th November until Thursday 27th December to enjoy the season’s festivities, have the chance to win fantastic prizes and help those at risk of homelessness this Christmas.
For more information on the #GingerbreadMun campaign, visit http://visitcardiff.com/christmas/gingerbreadmun/ or follow “Visit Cardiff” and “Cardiff Events” on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
To find out about the GiveDIFFerently fund, visit givedifferently.wales
