FoodCycle builds communities by combining volunteers, surplus food and spare kitchen spaces to create nutritious meals for people at risk from poverty and social isolation. Our activities take place in 'Hubs': local projects where volunteers are trained, supported and empowered to collect surplus food and cook it in spare kitchen spaces. Each hub provides a weekly three course meal for up to 50 people at risk from food poverty and social isolation in their local community. Our target beneficiaries are older people, low-income families, refugees, people with mental ill health and the homeless. In Hackney we serve between 30 - 40 guests per week in the New Kingshold Centre every Thursday lunchtime. We want to expand our project to support more adults with disabilities to volunteer. We already support up to 3 adults with disabilities in the hub and want to enable more to do so. We need more funding in order to do this properly and to provide meaningful opportunities!

What we'll deliver:

• Support adults with disabilities to volunteer and gain work experience
• Buy more equipment that is accessible for people with disabilities to use

Why it's a great idea:

FoodCycle Hackney gives local residents an opportunity to meet other people in a safe, friendly and welcoming space whilst enjoying a nutritious 3 course meal. We want to reach more local people to not only provide more meals to more guests but also to provide more opportunities for people to volunteer. Our volunteers tell us what a big impact volunteering has had on their lives We want to ensure that we can support more adults with disabilities to volunteer in our hub & have the same experience. Many of our customers tell us that they do not often get an opportunity to do so, and it would also help some of those who are able to into employment. FoodCycle also uses surplus food donations from local shops and supermarkets, which our volunteers turn into a tasty, 3 course vegetarian meal in a ready, steady, cook style. Our volunteers and guests also tell us that they eat more fruit and veg as a result of coming to our hub, as well as thinking more about their own food waste at home.

Steps to get it done:

• Induction and Training with new volunteers with disabilities, including setting personal development goals
• Shadowing of other volunteers and joining a session to eat with guests
• Start volunteering in sessions
• Come to volunteer meetings for further training and feedback

We have been successfully running the hub for more than a year; and are looking for more funding to expand what we are already doing by promoting opportunities for people with disabilities to volunteer and develop skills to gain employment.