FEAST With Us

In today's post, we explore how volunteering has fed the creativity of our amazing team. 🎨✨ When we asked our volunteers how their experiences have fed their creativity, Sarah shared how working with donated produce, and embracing diverse cultural backgrounds has enhanced the meals she creates. Noah and Leah, both retired, expressed their joy in cooking, and the satisfaction they feel in providing nutritious meals to those who need them most. Their insights remind us, that volunteering not only nourishes our community, but also allows us to explore our creativity and work together to help others. This winter, if you’d like to support our mission to provide nutritious meals and warmth for those in need, please donate here: https://bit.ly/3Zn20HG 🙏❤️

Earlier this year, we collaborated with the Camden Food Partnership (CFP) to showcase best practices from four incredible organisations in the network. Key topics include sustainability, nutrition, collaboration, and volunteering.  With the support of FEAST volunteers, the CFP and FEAST created a video and report to encourage collaboration across CFP organisations and share best practices for overcoming challenges🤝 Special thanks to Calthorpe Community Garden, Refugee Community Kitchen, Foodscape and Cooperation Town for sharing their insights and hospitality. 👉 Watch the video HERE - https://lnkd.in/eFcknwqT    📄 Read the report here: - https://lnkd.in/emCeS-RK  FEAST and the CFP are part of a growing movement in the London Borough of Camden that are working towards a future where everyone has dignified access to healthy and nutritious food everyday.  #FEAST #Nutrition #Community #Sustainability #Camden #FoodPartnerships #KnowledgeSharing #CommunityInitiatives #BestPractices 

This week, we kicked off Day 1 of Level 2 of our Healthy Eating on a Budget at Fitzrovia Community Centre, diving into Food Safety & Hygiene. It was a fantastic session full of learning and delicious cooking! Participants prepared a delicious menu: 🍽️ Butternut squash risotto with herb-crusted cod 🥗 Orange and walnut salad 🍏 Gluten-free apple crumble A big thanks to Chef Aistis for joining us and bringing so much energy and expertise to the session!👨🍳 We can’t wait to continue Level 2 next week!🌟 #HealthyEating #NutritionEducation #CommunityCooking #FoodSafety #SustainableEating

As Caroline Monkhouse Flower summarises: food poverty is a hugely complex area 💚 But like-minded organisations like FEAST With Us are working with us to put an end to poverty 🫶 Stay tuned for your simple actions to make a change... #Poverty #FoodPoverty #CostOfLiving #SocialImpact #DoGoodFeelGreat

We’re pleased to share Hackney Foodbank’s wonderful article about the success of our Healthy Eating on a Budget Programme, hosted at the Salvation Army in Hackney! Foodbank visitors learned to create well-balanced, low-cost meals while exploring topics like budgeting, food safety, sugar awareness, and nutrition. It’s inspiring to see participants gaining confidence, building community, and learning how to use food parcels in healthier ways.💚 Special thanks to Hackney Foodbank for their collaboration, and to everyone who made this programme such a success, including our dedicated Programme Coordinators and the amazing support from the team the Salvation Army Hackney. We’re already looking forward to the next cohort starting in January—if you or someone you know would like to join, get in touch via merline@hackneyfoodbank.org! 🥗✨ Read more here - https://lnkd.in/eqFY9QHP #Nutrition #Community #Sustainability #FeedingandEmpowering #HealthyEating #FoodBankSupport #NutritionEducation #CommunityCooking #Hackney

This winter, we’re shining a light on our incredible volunteers and the transformative impact their service has on both themselves and our community.🌟 When we asked our volunteers, how volunteering has challenged or changed them Chris shared his experience of stepping outside of his comfort zone. Evie reflected on how these unique experiences have broadened her perspectives, deepening her understanding of the hardships faced by others. Their powerful insights remind us that volunteering is not just about giving back; it’s about personal growth and connection. Join us in celebrating our amazing volunteers this holiday season. Over the next few weeks, we'll be posting weekly highlights featuring our volunteers and their inspiring thoughts. This winter, if you’d like to support our mission, helping provide nutritious meals and warmth for those in need, please donate here 🙏❤️ - https://lnkd.in/eGh94YyY

Turning Surplus Food into Community Smiles 😋 Not to be punny, but our volunteers really stewed up a storm with these spud-tacular meals and carrot-astic desserts (I’ll show myself out).  Through FEAST With Us, our session cooked up veggie stews with roasted potatoes (main) and carrot cakes with lemon drizzle (dessert). These meals are made from surplus food and redistributed to the ones most in need, simultaneously tackling food waste and social sustainability. We wanted to sincerely thank our volunteers from Pay.UK, Thomas More Square and The O2 for helping us out – You guys are amazing! 🧡 #FEASTWithUs #O2 #WeArePay #Bywaters

🌱 Yesterday, we gathered at Fitzrovia Community Centre for our third Healthy Eating on a Budget session, where participants celebrated completing Level 1 of the Programme! 🎉 The session was packed with engaging activities to help participants apply their learning about creating healthy, balanced meals. They explored the roles of proteins and healthy fats in their diets and discovered practical ways to eat well on a budget. 🥗💡 We were thrilled to have Gregor, our new Operations Manager, join us for the session! His hands-on support during the cooking activities added so much to the day, and it was clear how much participants appreciated his presence. 🙌 Thanks, Gregor! As our Programme Coordinator Sandra shares: "It’s always a joy to share this journey of learning and growth with everyone involved." We’re excited to start Level 2 next week with Fatima and Chef Aistis! Onward to more learning, cooking, and growth. 🍳✨ #HealthyEating #FoodOnABudget #NutritionEducation #CommunityCooking

NHS England has launched a Recipe Bank designed to support chefs in creating meals tailored to aid recovery and health conditions. It features 280+ recipes, all nutritionally analysed using Nutritics, cost-effective, and complete with carbon ratings. The platform is open to everyone, making it a fantastic resource not just for the NHS but also for charities like us, where nutritious, affordable, sustainable meals are at the heart of what we do - in our healthy eating programmes and community meals services.💚 👉 Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/eZsr-ZCK #FEAST #Nutrition #Community #Sustainability #GreatFoodGoodHealth

To coincide with World Food Day last month, a team from NHS North East London took the opportunity to call attention to the high and rising levels of food insecurity in London and the impact on peoples' health. Those who are most vulnerable often experience dietary restrictions due to lack of nutrition, leading to slow recovery from illness, increased tiredness, reduced psychosocial function and can also impact on mental health. The team wrote a blog for their intranet, highlighting some of the community organisations in north east London supplying affordable, nutritious food to their local area, supporting those experiencing food insecurity and bringing the community together, including FEAST! They also organised a food donation drive, half of which will be used by our healthy eating programmes at The Salvation Army on Mare Street in Hackney. Huge thanks to NHS North East London, Hannah Harniess and Melody Dhinda-Rees for your work on raising awareness of food insecurity and the amazing food donation! 💚