Communities Fund Employee Giving has provided £800 of match funding
Climate Action at Coexist
Bristol, Bristol City, United Kingdom
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Aim
Help us deliver food sustainably, connect communities with nature, and build greener, healthier streets across Bristol.
Coexist Community Kitchen is a community cookery school based in Easton, Bristol. Since 2012, we’ve been using food to bring people together through free cookery classes, shared meals, outreach programmes and community events — creating welcoming spaces where people can build confidence, skills, connection and a sense of belonging.
Alongside our community work, we run a catering programme which helps fund much of the outreach and support we provide across Bristol. Every catering job helps us put more food, care and community support back into local communities through free meals, outreach cooking sessions and community events.
We are raising £5,300 to:
- purchase an e-bike for low-carbon food deliveries across Bristol
- run a programme of outdoor cooking and nature sessions for people with limited access to green spaces
Through this project, we want to make the work we already do to support our communities greener and more sustainable too.
GREENER FOOD DELIVERIES
We’ve already raised the first £2,000 towards a £4,000 e-bike (which feels huge for us!) and are now asking for support to help us raise the final £2,000 needed to get it out on Bristol’s streets! The bike will be used for local catering drop-offs, helping us deliver food around the city in a cleaner and more sustainable way.
For us, catering has always been part of the wider community project rather than something separate from it. Whether we’re cooking for a wedding, an office lunch, a birthday party or even a clown conference (!), it’s all rooted in bringing people together around food. Every plate of food we serve helps give something back to Bristol by supporting free meals, outreach cooking sessions and wider community work.
Right now, many of our local catering deliveries still rely on short car journeys. By switching to an e-bike, we can reduce emissions, traffic and noise pollution while delivering food in a cleaner and more sustainable way across the city. It might seem like a small change, but for us it feels like a really practical step towards doing things differently.
Funding will help us buy:
- the e-bike
- a secure lock
- two helmets for staff and volunteers
- high-visibility safety jackets
We also hope the bike becomes a visible reminder that small community-led changes can add up. Whether it’s delivering food to an office lunch, a wedding feast or a community event, every journey made by bike is one less car trip on Bristol’s streets.
CONNECTING PEOPLE TO NATURE
Alongside the e-bike, we’ll also be fundraising to run six outdoor cooking and nature sessions for local people with limited access to green spaces. These sessions will include outdoor cooking, visits to farms and allotments, foraging, harvesting food, and learning more about where food comes from and how it is grown.
Working alongside local growers, farmers and community food projects, we want to help people feel more connected — to nature, to their community, and to the food systems that sustain us. We hope the sessions will support wellbeing, build confidence outdoors, and create opportunities for people to slow down, share food and spend time together in welcoming green spaces.
This project comes directly from listening to our community. People told us they care deeply about access to green space, mental wellbeing, cleaner and quieter neighbourhoods, and feeling more connected to where they live. In our recent community survey, 66% of people highlighted access to green spaces as important, while 80% said they wanted to feel more connected to their community through food.
At Coexist, we often say we are “Powered by Care”. For us, that means caring not only for people, but also for the environments, food systems and shared spaces that help communities thrive.
WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT US AND THE WORK WE DO
“Thank you for all the safety, love, joy, creativity, fun, inspiration, community and CARE you bring.”
“You are a beacon within the community.”
“Coexist is exactly the kind of community response needed.”
“BEST KITCHEN EVER!”
"It was the first time I felt welcomed for being myself- in a really long time.’
"Thanks to these types of activities, we have been able to feel an atmosphere of integration and respect in the community.”
"I have felt looked after and feel the meals are like a nurturing comfort blanket for the soul.”
FOOD AS A FORCE FOR CHANGE
At Coexist, food is about much more than eating. Food brings people together. It helps us share stories, cultures, knowledge and care.
We also believe food can be a starting point for wider change — including how we care for our communities, our local environment and the systems that sustain us. Whether it’s delivering meals by bike instead of car, cooking outdoors together, visiting local growers or sharing food around a table, small everyday actions can help people feel more connected to each other and the world around them.
Through this project, we want to make the work we already do to support our communities more sustainable too.
With support from the Aviva Community Fund, we can continue creating practical, community-led ways for people to come together around food while building a healthier, more connected and more sustainable future.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
There are lots of ways you can support this project and help us grow stronger, greener and more connected communities through food.
Make a Donation
Every contribution, big or small, helps us create more opportunities for people to connect with nature, learn about local food systems and share food together.
Pledge for a Reward
Choose one of our rewards and support the project while receiving something special in return.
Fundraise for Us
Get involved by organising your own fundraiser — from bake sales to supper clubs, community lunches or workplace events. You can find ideas, guidance and resources on our website to help you get started.
Spread the Word
Sharing our campaign with friends, family and your community makes a huge difference. Every conversation, repost and recommendation helps us reach more people who care about building a better future through food.
Communities Fund has provided £195 of match funding
Funding method
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 9th July 2026 at 12:10pm