Keep on cooking - Stratford’s community kitchen gets funding for another 18 months
STRATFORD’S Net Zero community kitchen will keep running for the next 18 months and employ a part-time manager after securing £19,000 in grants.
The kitchen has been run by Net Zero Stratford and a team of volunteers for nearly a year every Friday at the Ken Kennett Centre.
Grants from the Heart of England Community Foundation’s Inclusive Communities Fund, for £6,472, and from the National Lottery’s Communities Fund, for £12,408, mean it can continue using surplus food from supermarkets to produce healthy, tasty and low-cost meals for Stratford residents, including vegetarian and vegan options.
As well as covering the costs of hall hire, Net Zero will also use the funds to employ one of its volunteers, chef Mike Lok, as the kitchen manager.
Mike said: “I’m super excited to be taking up this role as community kitchen manager. I’ve been a passionate cook for many years and the time spent thus far volunteering at the Net Zero community kitchen has been incredibly rewarding.
“I’m looking forward to taking this project to the next level, making sure we use as much locally sourced surplus food as possible, growing the usage of the kitchen and of course, serving our wonderful community from all walks of life, tasty and nutritious food.”
Stephen Norrie, of Net Zero Stratford, added: “The community kitchen is a great way to make practical connections between reducing food waste and emissions and community building, and is always there for anyone who’s a bit hard up, wants some company, or is fed up of doing the cooking every night.
“We’re grateful to the HEFC and National Lottery for their support, and confident that in Mike we have the right person to take the kitchen to the next level and ensure its future success.”
The kitchen is open between 5pm and 6.30pm each Friday and is free to people who are hard up. Others can make a donation. More than 20 people regularly attend each week.
It is estimated that the kitchen, by using food that would be thrown away, has prevented the release of an estimated 6.3 tonnes of CO2e, the equivalent amount released by driving 11,928 miles in an average family car.