Our charity 'Good Food Matters' is dedicated to supporting disadvantaged children and young people to build healthier lifestyles. In our Teaching Kitchen we educate young people and children on how to cook as well as providing information on nutrition, health and wellbeing. We hope this will encourage a more positive attitude to health and equip and enable our young students to make more informed health and dietary choices leading to a better quality of life.

We focus on young people in and around Croydon who, for a variety of reasons, face lack of achievement at school; they might be excluded, in care, leaving care, young carers, young homeless, refugees, ex offenders or those at risk from antisocial behavior and teenage mums and dads. We also help adults involved in teaching or providing nutrition for any of these groups.

Our experience over the last five years in Croydon has given us an invaluable insight into the inability of disadvantaged groups to integrate with, and become active members of, their community. This in turn minimizes their chances of achieving their full potential.

In order to give our target groups and their familes (if they have one) better chances in life we want to build a Community Food Learning Centre in Croydon that will be accessible to all including wheelchair users and people with sight and hearing impairments. .

Many disengaged young people, who have massive amounts of untapped abilities, slip through the net and remain disengaged outsiders and are more likely to face mental illness and long term unemployment. At our Community Food Learning Centre disengaged young people will be able to socialise and learn new skills and gain a qualification in a stimulating, challenging and safe environment that will, over a reasonable length of time, give them self-belief, trust in relationships and the confidence to achieve and go forward in life.      

After much research, partnership development and applying for funding, an ideal 1 ½ acre green space has been found in New Addington, on the borders of Fieldway, which are two of the most deprived wards in Croydon.

The proposed centre will take time to develop but right from the start youth will work alongside professionals and adult volunteers from the local community to create a safe, healthy sustainable place. The centre will address the needs of the whole community; a place where people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities can socialise and learn together; a place which will bring in sustained income through production, education and employment for the forseeable future and contribute enormously to community cohesion.   

We have had a excellent response from funders so please visit our Good Food Matters Community Food Learning Centre webpage to see plans and up to date information about this project.

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Visit our current and future projects:

Good Food Matters Teaching Kitchen

Good Food Matters Community Food Learning Centre, New Addington, Croydon