Sheffield is a city rich in community spirit, and one area where this is evident is in its numerous kitchen spaces. These facilities provide community organisations, charities, and local businesses with the resources they need to cook, educate, and come together. They do this all while promoting a shared mission of feeding people and building connections.
This article highlights the growing network of community kitchens available for public use and the unique role each one plays in the city. Some have specific criteria or values that determine who they partner with, and many are deeply integrated with the causes they support. These kitchens reinforce ShefFood’s mission, aligning with the Local Food Action Plan’s Strategy 5 and the Food Ladders Tier 3 objective. These strategies focus on creating spaces for food initiatives to help community groups grow, process, and distribute healthy, sustainable food. While more mapping is needed, here are some notable projects to highlight today.
The Foundry at Victoria Hall, established in 2015, focuses on social justice and community empowerment in Sheffield. It features two kitchens in Lower and Upper Hall, equipped for workshops, food demonstrations, and gatherings. The Lower Hall kitchen hosts Food Squad weekly and the Sunday Centre for meal prep. While open to various groups, the Foundry prioritises those benefiting the Sheffield community, supporting education and social justice initiatives.
The Hadfield Institute features a spacious kitchen with flexible hiring terms and promotes a culture of respect for shared use. It serves groups like MADpro, which supports excluded children, and the Woman Collab for women to cook and grow food. Open dialogue is vital for those interested in using the kitchen, which insists that non-halal food must be prepared with personal equipment to maintain inclusivity. Additionally, Hadfield is exploring hydroponics to grow affordable produce for children lacking access to fresh fruits and vegetables, with plans to share this produce with local schools, community cafes, and food banks to enhance food security and education in Sheffield.
The Blend Culinary Foundation is a community interest company dedicated to tackling food poverty and promoting food education. Featuring 18 cooking stations, it hosts events, corporate days, and workshops for groups like Furnival and Theo’s Cooking Classes in collaboration with Sheffield Children’s Hospital. Blend offers flexible booking options, including free or discounted rates for community groups, and prioritises supporting children facing hunger, fostering a welcoming space for diverse communities to connect through food.
Longley 4 Greens is a vibrant community kitchen and social hub that operates a social café several days a week. It supports initiatives like the Sheffield Inclusion Unit, which offers alternative education for young people excluded from traditional schools. The kitchen emphasises a flexible booking policy focused on local needs and aims to break down barriers to healthy eating. Its main goal is to educate and empower the community on nutrition, helping locals develop skills and confidence to prepare nutritious meals at home through cooking workshops, addressing food insecurity and promoting healthy eating in Sheffield.
Heeley Green Community Centre features an inclusive community kitchen that hosts events like the Heeley Trust’s Community Meal and Soup Club. Locals can also use the space for informal gatherings and cooking. With a strong sense of community ownership, the centre welcomes any group that aligns with its values. It is available on select weekdays, and there is a desire to increase usage for more events and initiatives to bring people together.
The Archer Project is a kitchen and vital community resource for Sheffield’s homeless and vulnerable populations, serving breakfast and lunch five days a week. They aim to provide 26,000 meals this year, up from 14,000 two years ago. The kitchen collaborates with groups like the Revive Cafe at St. Thomas’ Church to provide meals on Saturdays, prioritising partnerships that align with their mission of helping those in need. This space is not only for cooking but also serves as a crucial support and connection point for individuals in Sheffield.
ShefFood is actively involved in mapping out available kitchen spaces like these and understanding the challenges and needs associated with accessing them. Through interviews with community groups, ShefFood aims to gather insights into accessibility and barriers to kitchen use. They are seeking kitchen owners across Sheffield who may have available facilities to add to their list, helping to make the most of every resource Sheffield has to offer.
If you have a kitchen that could be used for community purposes, ShefFood would love to hear from you, even if your space isn’t currently on their list. (Email:[email protected]) By connecting people with spaces and supporting communal cooking and food education, Sheffield can build a stronger, more resilient community where everyone has access to the resources needed to cook, learn, and share.
The spaces in Sheffield reflect the community’s unique needs and values, from The Foundry’s focus on social justice to Longley 4 Greens’ commitment to better nutrition. These kitchens aren’t just for cooking; they’re for growth. Organisations can engage with Sheffield’s food scene by using kitchens, sharing resources, or partnering with ShefFood. Together, Sheffield can ensure everyone has access to healthy, sustainable food and welcoming spaces to share it.
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ShefFood is Sheffield’s food partnership, bringing together a cross-sector network of organisations to build a fairer, healthier, greener food system in our city. To learn more email: [email protected] or visit sheffood.org.uk.
