The Seven Bridges is a community kitchen based at Dance City, Newcastle upon Tyne and run in partnership with Dance City and West End Refugee Service (WERS). The kitchen is a community space which provides volunteering and training for asylum seekers and refugees so that they can move into paid employment when they have secured the right to work.
The capital grant from the Hadrian Trust has supported the project at its critical early stages, with the purchase of a counter top fridge, which has increased the range of dishes we can offer to our customers. This in turn has supported our volunteer offer as we work closely with volunteers to create dishes that showcase their diverse food cultures.
The cost of the fridge and we applied the balance to food for our regular Community Meal, which provides a free meal for approximately 25 WERS volunteers and other members of the local community every Friday.
- 24 volunteers have completed a six-week training programme at the kitchen, with several now in paid employment. We work with only 2 volunteers at a time to ensure each feels valued and supported to have an active voice in the ongoing development of the project.
- Volunteers have training, including accredited training, in food hygiene, health and safety and manual handling. They also develop soft skills through customer service roles and events.
- Volunteers work with Seven Bridges staff, all skilled in community working, to develop menus which celebrate their diverse cultural/food heritage to Seven Bridges customers, including Dance City students and the local business community.
- 345 people from WERS and the local community have participated in our weekly Friday Community Meal – providing a free meal and a place to talk.
- People rebuilding their lives after fleeing persecution and conflict, grow in confidence and start to build their social networks through volunteering and social activities.
- For Dance City the project has made our building more welcoming to local communities in Newcastle’s West End and the Seven Bridges kitchen is allowing us to work with local groups in new ways. For example, we partnered with Host Nation to host a multi-cultural ceilidh in our theatre during Refugee Week; and the café is increasingly hosting community/cultural events, including book launches and conversation groups.
“Each shift helped me gain more confidence and feel like part of a community. This volunteering journey gave me new skills, meaningful friendships, and a strong sense of belonging. I’m truly thankful.”