The Shared Plate Community Interest Company (CIC) in Swansea, which has been providing nutritious meals to homeless and vulnerable people during the COVID-19 outbreak, features in the fifth and final episode of The National Lottery’s Good News Bulletin – a weekly round-up of feel-good stories hosted by renowned comedian, Joe Wilkinson.
From communities rallying together to provide BBQs for a whole village to everyday heroes helping those most in need, over the last five weeks, the National Lottery Good News Bulletin has been featuring, celebrating and thanking people and projects from across the UK that have been using National Lottery funding to support their communities during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
In the fifth and final episode of the bulletin, which can be viewed on the National Lottery Good Causes YouTube channel here , The Shared Plate CIC based in Mumbles, Swansea, showcase how they have used National Lottery funding to kick-start their Emergency Kitchen project which provides daily nutritious meals to homeless and vulnerable people who are self-isolating due to the COVID-19 outbreak. During the height of the pandemic, they have been working with partners in the community to make up to 200 meals a day and have delivered around 11,000 meals to people who need them the most in the last 4 months alone.
Established in 2018, The Shared Plate CIC run a café and zero waste shop from their base in Mumbles and provide food experiences for every occasion, whether it be catering for weddings, business events or a simple lunch at their new café in Mumbles.
They work with groups from all walks of life including young people, refugees and asylum seekers and community groups from across the UK. At the café, they train their participants to become chefs and front of house staff and help them to foster an appreciation of what it means to have access to good food. All of their profits go towards their programmes which aim to connect, inspire and build resilience in people and communities.
Highlighting the work they have been able to deliver with the support of the National Lottery, Niaomh Convery, the Co-Founder of Shared Plate CIC, says:
“When we realised the social impact that COVID-19 was having on our local community, we started an emergency kitchen, feeding up to 30 people a day. But we realised that the people who we were trying to support weren’t on social media, or out and about seeing our posters. So, we started this drive called ‘tell a neighbour’ and once we launched that and members of the community spread the word – the services users doubled over night.
The National Lottery funding was amazing, and, crucial, as it enabled us to get off the ground, allowing us to get the produce and equipment we needed to expand. We then partnered up with Swansea Together ran by Matt’s café, to provide an extra 100 meals a day to support the needs of homeless people who had been put into B&Bs.
We want to thank National Lottery players for making this happen. Not only did the funding enable us to combat some of the immediate issues that COVID-19 brought about, the remaining funds has meant that we can support some of the effects from the pandemic that are going to go on a long time such as social isolation and loneliness.”
Presenter Joe Wilkinson, star of Netflix series After Life with Ricky Gervais and 8 out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, added:
“Thanks to National Lottery players, up to £600 million has been made available to help communities throughout the UK amid the coronavirus crisis. The Good News Bulletin features how people and projects have rallied together to support each other during lockdown. I promise you there won’t be any zoom quizzes or online Zumba but just a few heart-warming stories and terrific tales of, well, good news and great people.”
Thirty million pounds is raised every week on average by National Lottery players for projects big and small across the country. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, The National Lottery has announced support packages of up to £600 million across arts, sports, heritage, education and the environment.
To find out more about the range of funding support announced by National Lottery distributors across the UK to date, visit the National Lottery Good Causes website www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/coronavirus-pandemic-response