The Sharing Kitchen was founded in 2024 to improve the quality of life of local people and help ease isolation and hardship in the community. With regular access to hot food, company, and support, our aim is to help our neighbours thrive in these times of so many challenges.
What the project involves
The core of the Sharing Kitchen is a warm welcome to all, and fun. Volunteers and participants alike enjoy the friendly atmosphere and weekly quiz.
We also welcome regular visitors from a wide range of support services, and stock leaflets on everything from local social events to health services and debt support. As a regular Aldi surplus food collector, whatever we don’t use in our cooking, we offer to participants on our weekly free food table.
To us, sharing food is at the heart of community. It is as enjoyable to prepare warm food for people as it is to sit and share a meal with others.
The story so far
Thanks to an incredible team of dedicated volunteers, our initial intention to provide warming winter soup for three months has grown into a permanent weekly meal share, serving a range of free hot and cold food throughout the year.
We started with a handful of participants at Newent Memorial Hall in 2024. We now serve an average of 40 participants every week and have moved to Newent Community Centre.
The local support with funding has been incredible. We started with a generous donation from the local Rotary clubs and Newent Town Council. We have also received funding from numerous local sources, including; Two Rivers Housing, Co-op, Mend and Repair, Circle Club, Summer Skittles group, Something For The Weekend Quartet, and exceptionally generous individual members of the community who have independently organised very successful fundraising events. We have also received grants from Warm Spaces, MediGold Health, and Thriving Communities.
The difference the work has made
The Sharing Kitchen is a well-loved and well-supported part of our Newent community that has positively affected people’s lives.
We have been told:
“This is the only cooked meal I have in the week, unless you count beans on toast.”
“This is the only time in the week I come out and socialise.”
As one of our volunteers recently shared: “I love volunteering at the Sharing Kitchen because it brings people together through kindness and good food. It’s deeply rewarding to see how a simple meal can lift someone’s day and create a sense of community. I love seeing guests’ faces light up with relief and a big smile when they’re welcomed in knowing they’ll get good food and good company. What moves me most is watching guests who have so little themselves bring fruit or vegetables in to be cooked and shared with others. That generosity, even in hardship, is humbling and inspiring.”
