The rise in community self-help became something to be celebrated during the pandemic with free meals being cooked up and delivered to anyone who needed them. While Coexist Community Kitchen began its community meals long before the enforced isolation of the Covid-19 lockdowns, the pandemic has certainly shaped the evolution of the local community Interest Company (CIC).
Every Wednesday you will find staff and volunteers busy cooking and boxing up a hundred meals which are collected by people referred to the local CIC by their various charity partners. Unlike food banks, they use fresh ingredients and cook up healthy meals, fit for a restaurant.
These meals are enjoyed every week by a wide range of people; from families struggling to afford healthy meals, to young people, adults facing social marginalisation and asylum seekers in hotels without any access to cooking facilities. But behind the scenes, Coexist is also a cookery school which simultaneously supports people back into work, helps them launch a new business and gives those who might feel isolated the chance to feel more connected and integrated with the community.
Ayham Aldoghin from Syria can often be found alongside other volunteers, cooking free meals for the community. He first joined Coexist after he was referred to their cookery classes by the charity Aid Box.
Having previously lived in a hotel, like many of those in the cookery class, it was refreshing to have access to a kitchen and empowering to share his Syrian food with others. He said: “Most of us were living in hotels, I lived in a hotel for about two years and it was just horrible.
“For me, the hotel was clean and safe but it’s a hotel, it’s not a life there and we couldn’t cook. I used to always cook fresh food before and lots of people would get sick from the food they were getting at the hotels.
“They are amazing people at Coexist who are very friendly and welcoming and they have supported me with everything – they are like family. It’s a project for the community and it’s for everyone and they listen to everyone.
“They are all my friends, they are very warm and they like to include everyone. I have done a lot of classes teaching my Syrian food and it’s very empowering.”
Once they have finished cooking, the volunteers sit down and enjoy some of the food together. The group, having started with community meals at Hamilton House in Stokes Croft in 2012, relocated to Mivart Street in Easton several years ago but have only recently begun to offer regular sit down meals open to everyone in the last few months.
While the pandemic made them switch to giving out takeaway boxes which continues to work well, they are now doing monthly meals – with their first one in October attended by over 60 people. Those who can afford to donate can contribute to supporting the work of Coexist, but nobody is obligated to pay, which helps create an inclusive space where people from different backgrounds can come together and enjoy food.
Like many non-profit organisations striving to make a difference to the communities they serve, raising funds to support their work is a constant juggling act. Coexist has recently been fundraising for an additional kitchen to allow them to continue with their private catering business, which is almost complete.
They have recently launched a winter fundraiser with several special gifts given to donors. They hope to raise £25,000 in the next 35 days to sustain their current projects. You can find out more about Coexist Kitchen and donate to their fundraiser here.