Community kitchen expanding after funding boost

15 hours ago

Emma ElgeeWest of England

News image — Kitchen founder Rob Lewis says cooking is a "powerful way to build connections"

BBC Rob Lewis wears a green T-shirt and a blue apron. He's also got glasses on and has brown hair. He's smiling at the camera and in the background is a kitchen. — Kitchen founder Rob Lewis says cooking is a "powerful way to build connections"

A community kitchen says £19,650 of National Lottery funding has enabled it to expand into another area and ensure its future.

Bath Community Kitchen is a not-for-profit that tackles loneliness, isolation and food poverty through community meals once a week in Twerton but said the new funding had enabled it to expand into Radstock in Somerset.

The money will also fund places on its Cook Like a Chef course for young people at risk of homelessness, as well as the Guys Can Cook programme for older men living alone who may be isolated.

Bath Community Kitchen founder Rob Lewis has said: "Cooking and eating together is such a powerful way to build connections, confidence and a sense of belonging."

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A man and a woman standing at a kitchen counter chopping vegetables including peppers and onions. — Rob Lewis and his team do weekly meals in Twerton and in Radstock

The team has served more than 5,000 people at its community meals and welcomed more than 3,000 people to workshops, including refugees.

Weekly meals are held on a Thursday in the Lighthouse Centre in Twerton, where a team of volunteers prepare a three-course vegetarian meal.

The project has also prevented nearly four tonnes of food from going to waste.

Lewis said: "It's as much about building community as it is about food poverty and making sure people eat healthy, then also they feel connected to the places they live and food is a great way to do that."

Ellie Rymer is a young woman with brown hair. She is wearing a chef's apron and dark T-shirt. She's smiling at the camera and is standing in a kitchen. — Ellie Rymer is one of the volunteers at Bath Community Kitchen

Volunteer Ellie Rymer said: "I think it's a special place because when people come together to eat it's a relaxing atmosphere, people come to us for all different reasons and from all different places but they get to mix and chat and try interesting food.

"Its a lovely family atmosphere for people to be a part of and when we're doing workshops and things - [with] kids who might not have cooked before, getting hands on, it's really good fun."