Knowle West cookery school making sure ‘local families don’t go hungry’

A local cookery school which has rescheduled all its classes due to Coronavirus has now re-purposed its kitchen to produce free healthy meals for local children and families.

Award-winning Square Food Foundation based at The Park has a mission “to teach people from all walks of life to cook good food” – delivering  cookery courses and workshops for charities, schools and community groups.

Following the COVID-19 outbreak and having to postpone all classes, the school is determined to “support those most in need”. From Monday (23 March) it has been working with volunteers to make sure “local families don’t go hungry” – especially those which rely on free school meals.

In a statement the cookery school said: “Like every small business, registered charity and social enterprise across the UK, it’s been a tough week. As schools prepare to close and social distancing is advised, we can’t continue to deliver cookery classes and workshops as normal… 

“The challenge we’re facing is huge. But there are thousands of people for whom this could become a matter of survival.

“… We are re-purposing our kitchen to produce free, delicious and healthy meals for local children and families, specifically those that rely on free school meals.

“ We hope to extend this service to older people and other groups at risk of loneliness, homelessness and poor health…”

The Square Food kitchen team and volunteers will be working in shifts to produce meals to distribute to families at local primary school, Oasis Academy Connaught.

They will be working “safely and hygienically, in line with public health guidance, limiting the number of people in the kitchen at once.”

Meals will be delivered in takeaway containers to reheat at home and all food will be labelled with ingredients, allergens and cooking instructions.

In order to help vulnerable local families and ensure the survival of Square Food Foundation, the cookery school is asking people to:
Make a donation:

£7 could provide lunch for a family of five 

£15 could feed a child one meal a day for two weeks 

£30 could pay for a month of meals for one child

£50 would provide a week’s worth of lunches for a family of five

People can also support the cookery school by getting their Christmas shopping done early and buying gift vouchers for classes and booking their Christmas party there. 

They are also asking the community to spread the word and use social media to let friends and family what Square Food is doing and encourage them to get involved. 

Facebook: squarefoodfoundation

For more information visit: www.squarefoodfoundation.co.uk