We're delighted to announce a new partnership between Share and the Black Prince Trust that will help people in Lambeth affected by the cost-of-living crisis by providing them with free healthy meals. From 9th May, with the support of a head chef employed by Share, a group of Share students will help to prepare, cook and distribute hundreds of meals a week. Surplus food from charitable food redistributors will be used to minimise food waste, building on the thriving partnership between the Black Prince Trust and the Felix Project that currently supports around 200 local Lambeth residents per week with food packages. 

The Black Prince Trust manages an inclusive community sports hub in Kennington, working with a range of partners to deliver community programmes using sport and physical activity to deliver positive social impact – the majority of which are free at the point of use. The Trust was established in 2011 when the London Borough of Lambeth designated a 2.5-acre site on the Old Lillian Baylis School as a Community Hub. The Trust focuses on creating accessible opportunities for local residents to take part in sport and physical activity, health and wellbeing focused programmes, and education and training towards employment. Students at Share will also benefit from using the extensive sports facilities at the Community Hub, helping them to keep fit and stay healthy. 

Thanks to funding from the London Borough of Lambeth, the existing community café facilities at the Black Prince Community Hub have been refitted to provide a modern, high-quality facility suitable for delivering the service.  

Students at Share will gain employability skills in catering and hospitality, and the chance to build confidence and develop their social skills by connecting with local residents. It’s an important part of their journey towards independence, helping them feel more included and valued in the community. 

In preparation for the meals project, Share provided a choice of hot lunches and sandwiches during the Easter holidays for local pupils eligible for free school meals who had signed up for the Black Prince Trust Easter Camp, delivered in partnership with the Lambeth HAF programme. 

Richard Joyce, Chief Executive Offer at the Black Prince Trust said, ‘We are thrilled to be embarking on this exciting and innovative new programme with Share Community and envisage it providing a wealth of benefits for both their students and those most in need of support in our local community. In keeping with the ethos of the Black Prince Trust, the programme will work seamlessly with our network of valued partners as well as supporting the efforts of our food project to avoid unnecessary waste. It will be a huge asset to our community hub and we can’t wait to have them on site making a real difference.’

Abi Carter, Chief Executive Officer at Share commented, ‘We're delighted to be partnering with the Black Prince Trust to use our students' catering skills to benefit a new community in Lambeth. It will be a great opportunity for students to work in a new environment, and build on the catering and customer service experience they've gained at our other sites. They will be playing a valuable role to help mitigate the impact of the increased cost of living for local people, which should make them very proud.’ 

Contact rachelh@sharecommunity.org.uk for more information, or call Share on 020 7924 2949.