What just happened?
Before Covid-19 Canteen was a busy and vibrant community hub, a base for our epic catering business, a place for the team and more importantly a space for friends new and old. As well as pumping out covers for events in the 100’s our space was home to ideas and projects that rippled out into world, fuelled by flat whites (thanks Oatly!) and Da Bara’s finest Cinnamon Buns.
With our mission of Good People, Good Food emblazoned on the wall, some awesome events lined up as well as community projects developing, we were stoked for the season ahead.
Then, like many of our friends, we took the tough decision to close our doors to guests…but at the same with our community behind us, an amazing team and diverse skill set and the desire to leave each day better than we found it we started thinking…
What now?
With the energy and skill of a pirate like crew our food and events business feeds people delicious meals in unusual location across the UK. So, simple, we just need to switch up and change our food production towards helping those that most need it. Food where it’s needed, not just wanted.
Based on Canteens founder Ben’s existing relationship with Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust, providing long table gatherings to heroes of the hospitals, we threw ourselves into the challenge of getting hearty meals to NHS staff on the frontline.
Continuing Ben's work with Jill Venables (Managing Director Sustenation, Head of Facilities and Contracts at RCHT) in super quick time we’ve developed systems and agreed an efficient setup which has rolled out to other sites and community hospitals...seeing us produce around 400 healthy grab & go food boxes a day.
Why the need to fund these meals?
Many of our friends are frontline NHS staff and we know lots are working in new locations with greater demands on their time…we wanted to create the simplest solution for them to grab food and enjoy it when they had the chance. Making the food boxes free at point of access is the simplest option and also shows there is so much love and support for the amazing work of our frontline NHS staff. Your generous donations, as well as contributions from many frontline NHS workers and their families, is making the very essential need for food on shift as simple as possible.
Feedback on the impact of these boxes of food has been awesome, we really are creating good food with good values and getting it to people when they need it most.
What we need?
We need continued support through donations to this Crowdfund campaign.
We need you to share this Crowdfund to reach more people.
We need businesses to consider how they can support our work...from funds, to product in kind, gifting services and also importantly sharing to other networks.
We need this so we can support NHS staff with good food to fuel their long and challenging days for as long as they need us to.
Your funds contribute towards the direct costs of producing this food and have so far provided over 2000 meals to frontline NHS staff. Any donation makes a difference and will enable us to keep providing these meals for as long as required. A £20 donation will provide 5 meals to a frontline NHS worker, delivered to them ready to enjoy when and where the need it most.
When you consider donating to our work please also share this Crowdfund on your social media platforms and networks. Enabling wider communities to show their support for the amazing work our friends in the NHS are undertaking is as awesome as making a donation yourself!
Keep an eye on our social media to see the food that your funds are ensuring we can keep creating…sorry if it makes you super hungry!
Stay happy and healthy,
Team Canteen
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For other offers of funding/business support or enquiries please contact [email protected]