Target reached!
If we exceed our target, we would look to create a lounge space next to the kitchen ...
Create a welcoming kitchen for vulnerable adults
Hemel Hempstead, England, United Kingdom
Aim
To refurb our office kitchen, creating a welcoming environment to provide hot meals for vulnerable clients in our supported housing project
My name is Gary Aldridge and I'm a recovering addict. I have been sober for over 13 years now. If it wasn't for charities like Druglink, I wouldn't be here writing this. My journey into working within this sector has come from the support of charities who have invested their time and money into helping people like me. I'm a passionate individual, who believes that if someone is given the right environment, care, love and support, they can change their Iives.
At the start of 2019 Druglink ame to the end of their partnership with another Drug & Alcohol provider which opened up a space at our head office. With the pandemic and going through lockdown, we have been unable to utilise this space which is now in a bit of a mess!
We are now in the position to look at ways to develop our head office space to support our clients. We have already started using the whole of our downstairs space to run group programmes with huge success. Clients visiting the office are from our own supported housing services and other local partners. We have partnered with a domestic violence service and see many women in need come through our doors.
Since lockdown and the increase in the cost of living, we have seen the need and demand to help and support our clients even more. We have an unused space that we want to create into a small welcoming kitchen, that we can utilise as a way to help support our clients. We will educate them on budgeting, cooking skills and help them to become more aware of ways to manage their finances and to live healthy lives.
We hope to use donations to convert this space into a useable kitchen that will teach life skills and create a community space. It will also help us for future funding applications, as we will be able to attract other organisations to use this space. Next year we are planning to create an allotment space in our garden, so the kitchen development project will support our plans of sustainability and education.
We are also looking to open our head office space as a " warm space" throughout the winter, so a kitchen would support us to help feed and cook for those on low incomes who need extra help.
Aviva Cost of Living Boost has provided £2,233 of match funding
HCC Community Innovation Fund has provided £1,800 of match funding
Co-op Warm Spaces Funding Boost has provided £1,770 of match funding
Aviva Community Fund has provided £1,020 of match funding
Aviva Community Fund has provided £233 of match funding
This project successfully funded on 14th February 2023