The South Norwood Community Kitchen, based at Socco Cheta on Portland Road, has been selected as one of London’s Loved and Wanted venues.
Winning recipe: some volunteers at South Norwood Community Kitchen, who have been boosted by the Lottery fund
The £1.8million Loved and Wanted Fund is supported by the Mayor of London and the National Lottery Community Fund to help organisations “run activities that bring communities together”.
More than 400 projects and venues across the capital applied for a share of the funding, but only 30 – including the always impressive SNCK – were successful.
“This funding means we can welcome even more people to our community space, help people through tough times, and keep South Norwood a place where everyone can feel welcomed,” said one of SNCK’s kitchen volunteers.
According to City Hall, “The fund focuses on helping Londoners from different backgrounds meet, connect and take part in local communities and the city’s life.
“Strong communities grow when people have places where they feel welcome and able to join in. This also means removing the barriers that stop some Londoners from taking part.”
According to SNCK, the support from the scheme will “help the kitchen do what it does best- creating a space where everyone can feel truly welcomed, valued, and able to be themselves”.
Powered by volunteers, the grassroots social café serves about 300-plus meals weekly, all on a free or pay-what-you-can basis, using surplus food.
Open Tuesdays to Saturdays, it also provides a boutique for clothes and food bank items, aimed at tackling poverty, food waste and loneliness without requiring eligibility checks.
Now registered as a Community Interest Company, SNCK has maintained a focus on environmental sustainability by transforming over 90% of ingredients that would otherwise go to waste into meals.
Community diner: everyone is welcome at South Norwood Community Kitchen
Now a firm part of the local community in South Norwood – they are not far from Regina Road – SNCK also partners with the South West London Law Centres to offer advice on housing and benefits.
Thanks to the London Loved and Wanted funding, SNCK will:
- Make space for more conversations that address division and misinformation and build solidarity across difference
- Expand support for local people — especially those who are new to the area or facing challenges — with more free meals, signposting and community-led activities
- Invest in new training and development for volunteers, giving more people the chance to learn, share skills and take part
- Link up with other funded spaces across London to help build a stronger, fairer city for all
There’s more about Loved and Wanted at: www.london.gov.uk/loved-and-wanted-here
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