At Gazebos Galore, we supply Gazebos, flags and banners to a wide range of customers in many different locations.
In June 2018, we started to supply Gazebos to Bermondsey Community Kitchen for their market stalls. They wanted 3m Gazebos for regular, seasonal use involving cooking. They had to be erected easily by one person if necessary. We recommended our Commercial range: robust, but lightweight enough for an individual to carry and erect. It is also flame retardant.
We found their story to be extremely inspiring.
So, what is Bermondsey Community Kitchen all about?
It was founded in Bermondsey in 2014 by local man, Mike Donovan. He was motivated to do something to help the young, unemployed people of Bermondsey.
After several months and much hard work, Mike successfully secured funding. This came from local and national businesses and charitable organisations. As well as this, funding was awarded for a Grants/Admin Officer from Southwark Council to help the project.
Bermondsey Community Kitchen is a non-profit community organisation. It supplies free training for unemployed people between the ages of 16 and 40. To be selected, candidates must be:
From Southwark.
Long-term unemployed.
Free from any other training commitments.
They will usually be people who are facing barriers to entering the workforce. This is sometimes due to disability or a disadvantaged background.
What do they do?
Bermondsey Community Kitchen allows students to train for free in the following:
Level 1 City and Guilds Food Preparation and Cooking.
Level 2 City and Guilds Professional Cookery.
Successful students have proceeded to find gainful employment.
The Bermondsey community reaps the benefits from the organisation with the following activities:
Free nutrition workshops.
Inspiring Cookery demonstrations.
“Cooking on a budget” classes.
Vegetable growing projects.
Other local charities and organisations have also profited because of the success of the Kitchen:
Senior’s Cooking Club.
Southwark Foodbank School Holiday Meal Scheme – feeding hundreds of disadvantaged school -age children.
What does the future hold?
In April 2017, extra funding allowed for the opening of the Bermondsey Community Café. The Café ploughs its profits back into the Kitchen because this helps to sustain and ensure its future.
Thanks to the passion and dedication of Mike Donovan and his team, Bermondsey has a vital organisation; one that educates and serves its people.
However, continuous fundraising is a must. We wish the Bermondsey Community Kitchen project the best of luck with all future funding applications.
