Super Kitchens to launch in Derbyshire

Derbyshire's next two Super Kitchens are set to open as part of a partnership project to create community eating spaces and tackle food poverty using surplus supermarket produce.
Stock picture.Stock picture.
Stock picture.

The county’s first Super Kitchen opened in Holmgate Church, Clay Cross, in November with a branch in Cotmanhay set to open this week and another in New Mills following in May.

Derbyshire County Council (DCC) is supporting the scheme in partnership with surplus food redistribution charity FareShare in Derbyshire and Eudaimonia, a charity which runs the kitchens and other sustainable social eating projects.

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The system uses surplus food that would have been thrown away by supermarkets to provide residents with a hot nutritious, low-cost hot meal cooked by volunteers.

Both venues have organised welcome events to give anyone interested in setting up a Super Kitchen such as youth clubs, food banks and charities the chance to have a look around, meet staff and enjoy a free social eating meal.

Cotmanhay Super Kitchen will be open to visitors in Cotmanhay Children’s Centre, Beauvale Drive, on Thursday from noon to 2pm and the New Mills branch will be open in St George’s Parish Hall, Church Lane, on Friday, May 6, from 5pm to 7pm.

DCC cabinet member for health and communities Councillor Dave Allen said: “Our first Super Kitchen in Clay Cross is already working well and we’re delighted that two more are ready to open.

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“These welcome events have been organised to give or anyone interested in starting a Super Kitchen to go along and see what it’s all about to get more branches open across Derbyshire as soon as possible.

“Lack of proper nutrition affects people’s physical and mental health and in the long term this will cause huge pressures on health and social care costs so there’s an economic as well as a moral case for us to support social eating projects like Super Kitchen and take preventative action to address food poverty.”

Super Kitchens originated in Nottingham and organisers are now supporting the roll-out across Derbyshire.

Scheme founder Marsha Smith said: “We’re pleased to be working with DCC and FareShare and seeing the scheme develop so well with three Super Kitchens opening in just a few months.

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“The welcome events at Cotmanhay and New Mills are a great opportunity for people to see what Super Kitchens are all about and for anyone interested in starting one up to find out more.”

DCC approved £528,550 last year to work in partnership with a range of agencies on a Feeding Derbyshire strategy to find sustainable solutions to food poverty and feed people struggling with low incomes and benefit delays.

The plan included £8,000 to set up two Super Kitchens in each Derbyshire borough and district in venues including churches, children’s centres and schools.

It also included setting up a food depot in Derbyshire operated by FareShare to supply food banks and community kitchens with perishable food such as fresh fruit and vegetables, dairy produce and meat.

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Other projects include support for food banks and school breakfast clubs and setting up a mobile food truck and affordable food box scheme.

Groups, organisations or residents who are interested in starting up a Super Kitchen and would like to visit the welcome events should confirm their attendance in advance by emailing [email protected]

To find out more about the Cotmanhay event call 07890 326074 and for New Mills call 07816 203406.

Anyone interested in starting up a Super Kitchen and would like to know more can visit www.superkitchen.org or email [email protected]