Be Enriched
This story is from Be Enriched, their mission is to foster skill development and enhance community cohesion through comprehensive training and volunteering initiatives.
Be Enriched was established in September 2013 by a dedicated group of youth workers, arts professionals, and young people.
Our projects enrich the community through food, supporting a better and more connected food system that celebrates diversity. We bring people together to share knowledge and cultivate long-standing relationships over a meal. Through our projects, we provide access to food for families throughout the year, reducing food waste and social isolation. We believe everyone deserves access to affordable, fresh, and healthy food and to feel part of their community.
Our important work is delivered across a range of projects:
- Our Community Canteens bring neighbours together, with volunteers cooking a delicious and nutritious meal using surplus food
- The Food Bus is a lower cost, mobile greengrocers and community space. This unique double decker bus reaches areas experiencing food insecurity or inaccessibility to food
- Our Kids Clubs are a school holiday provision, aimed at low-income families, providing food, fun and friendship
Our Journey
Our flagship initiative, the Canteens Project, began as a short-term endeavour aimed at offering young offenders a constructive alternative to traditional community service. Within just a month, we engaged 40 regular participants and effectively utilized surplus food to address community needs. This early success revealed a profound and ongoing demand for both nourishment and companionship in our community.
Today, Be Enriched has grown significantly. We operate three Community Canteens, serving over 3,000 meals in 2022 alone, with the support of 650 dedicated volunteers. Additionally, we run the innovative Food Bus, delivering low-cost food to the communities of Lambeth and Wandsworth. Our efforts extend to combating holiday hunger through our Kids Clubs, ensuring children have access to nutritious meals even when schools are closed.
Volunteering
Each week, our volunteer group at Community Canteens comes together to prepare and serve a three-course vegetarian meal for members of the local community.
The groups take full ownership of the kitchen during their session, guided by our Canteen Leader who helps them cook a healthy three-course vegetarian meal. The ingredients are provided from locally sourced, surplus fresh produce.
In 2023, almost 800 people volunteered at our Canteens, contributing a remarkable 4,800 hours, equivalent to 200 days. Thanks to their dedication, we served nearly 10,000 dishes, with 85% of volunteers rating their experience as ‘Excellent.’ Since our inception, we have been supported by local markets, supermarkets, and independent traders, allowing us to redirect over 6 tonnes of food away from landfill.
Our canteens are about more than just food. We encourage our volunteers to eat their lunch alongside our guests, fostering a sense of community and belonging. No matter how different we may appear, we all come together to share a meal at the same table.