Street Food Project Feeding the Most Vulnerable in Penzance Opens Brand New Kitchen

A vital community project in Penzance has taken a significant step forward with the opening of a new kitchen and dining space, aimed at supporting the town’s most vulnerable. Growing Links CIC’s Street Food Project, which has long been dedicated to providing hot meals to those experiencing homelessness or living in food poverty, now operates from the new Safe & Well Hub at the former John Daniel Centre in Heamoor.

A New Era for Street Food Project

Previously operating without an indoor space, the move to the Safe & Well Hub marks a major milestone for Street Food Project. This shift was made possible through funding from public donations and support from Penzance Council. The council awarded Growing Links £8,313 to purchase and install a fully equipped commercial kitchen, as part of a £24,789 grant fund distributed to five local community groups this year.

Ally Katkowski, the Street Food Project manager, expressed her excitement about the move: “It’s been amazing. It’s that whole thing of being able to bring people indoors when it’s really wet outside and give them a cup of tea and some food in the warm. It’s been really overwhelming, actually, after months and months of planning, to see it all happening now.”

Before this new facility, guests were served meals from a doorway, often in harsh weather conditions. Now, they can dine in a warm, welcoming space with proper utensils and seating. “It’s a completely different service to what we were able to offer before,” Ally said.

📷Street Food Project volunteer Linda McKechnie. Run by Growing Links CIC, Street Food Project is welcoming some of the community’s most vulnerable people into its brand new premises at the Safe & Well Hub, the former John Daniel Centre in Heamoor. Growing Links CIC was awarded £8,313 of grant funding from Penzance Council to buy and install a commercial kitchen in the building. Photo by Penzance Council.

Photo: Street Food Project volunteer Linda McKechnie.

Community Support and Recognition

Mayor of Penzance Stephen Reynolds and councillor Bonnie Jackson recently visited the hub to witness its impact. Stephen praised the volunteers and the supportive environment: “It’s great to see the amazing work that is being done by all the volunteers here, and the compassion they show for some of the most vulnerable people in our community. I take my hat off to everyone from Growing Links for the work that they do and have done over the years.”

Stephen highlighted the importance of the non-judgemental atmosphere fostered by the project, stating: “The attitude here is totally non-judgmental, and long may it continue.”

Stories from the Community

Wayne Sanders, who has experienced homelessness and benefited from Street Food Project’s support, shared his perspective: “My situation was quite dire, I was made homeless and with no deposit money, was living in a truck for a couple of years. Eventually, I was offered a room in a council-owned property… but there are obviously a lot of people looking for places, and not a lot of properties. So, it’s quite hard, but I’m much, much better than I was, and that’s the main thing.”

Wayne reflected on his journey with Street Food Project: “I didn’t know it existed, but a good friend put me onto it. I was absolutely petrified when I first turned up, but everybody was wonderful and I started making friends. Truthfully, we’re all two pay cheques away from this.”

The Benefits of the New Hub

Lynne Dyer, director of Growing Links, noted the broader impact of moving to the Safe & Well Hub: “The brilliant thing about it is working in a wider partnership – the fact that we have housing resettlement here, we have First Light here for domestic violence, we’ve got a mental health team onboard – we’ve got everything. And already we’re helping people to get their forms filled in and get housed and get into the whole system.”

Local residents will have the chance to visit the Street Food Project’s new kitchen and see its work in action during an open day at the end of November.

For those interested in supporting or applying for grants through Penzance Council, more information can be found on their website or by contacting the council offices at 01736363405 or via email at info@penzance-tc.gov.uk.

📷Director of Growing Links, Lynne Dyer. Run by Growing Links CIC, Street Food Project is welcoming some of the community’s most vulnerable people into its brand new premises at the Safe & Well Hub, the former John Daniel Centre in Heamoor. Growing Links CIC was awarded £8,313 of grant funding from Penzance Council to buy and install a commercial kitchen in the building. Photo by Penzance Council.

Photo: Director of Growing Links, Lynne Dyer.

📷The team at Street Food Project are visited by mayor of Penzance, Stephen Reynolds and councillor Bonnie Jackson. Run by Growing Links CIC, Street Food Project is welcoming some of the community’s most vulnerable people into its brand new premises at the Safe & Well Hub, the former John Daniel Centre in Heamoor. Growing Links CIC was awarded £8,313 of grant funding from Penzance Council to buy and install a commercial kitchen in the building. Photo by Penzance Council.

Photo: The team at Street Food Project are visited by mayor of Penzance, Stephen Reynolds and councillor Bonnie Jackson. 

📷Wayne Sanders is served a hot meal by Street Food Project volunteers. Run by Growing Links CIC, Street Food Project is welcoming some of the community’s most vulnerable people into its brand new premises at the Safe & Well Hub, the former John Daniel Centre in Heamoor. Growing Links CIC was awarded £8,313 of grant funding from Penzance Council to buy and install a commercial kitchen in the building. Photo by Penzance Council.

Photo: Wayne Sanders is served a hot meal by Street Food Project volunteers. 

📷Run by Growing Links CIC, Street Food Project is welcoming some of the community’s most vulnerable people into its brand new premises at the Safe & Well Hub, the former John Daniel Centre in Heamoor. Growing Links CIC was awarded £8,313 of grant funding from Penzance Council to buy and install a commercial kitchen in the building. Photo by Penzance Council.

Photo: Run by Growing Links CIC, Street Food Project is welcoming some of the community’s most vulnerable people into its brand new premises at the Safe & Well Hub, the former John Daniel Centre in Heamoor.

📷Wayne Sanders is handed a pasty from Street Food Project volunteer, Linda McKechnie. Run by Growing Links CIC, Street Food Project is welcoming some of the community’s most vulnerable people into its brand new premises at the Safe & Well Hub, the former John Daniel Centre in Heamoor. Growing Links CIC was awarded £8,313 of grant funding from Penzance Council to buy and install a commercial kitchen in the building. Photo by Penzance Council.

Photo: Wayne Sanders is handed a pasty from Street Food Project volunteer, Linda McKechnie. 

📷The team at Street Food Project are visited by mayor of Penzance, Stephen Reynolds and councillor Bonnie Jackson. Run by Growing Links CIC, Street Food Project is welcoming some of the community’s most vulnerable people into its brand new premises at the Safe & Well Hub, the former John Daniel Centre in Heamoor. Growing Links CIC was awarded £8,313 of grant funding from Penzance Council to buy and install a commercial kitchen in the building. Photo by Penzance Council.

Photo: The team at Street Food Project are visited by mayor of Penzance, Stephen Reynolds and councillor Bonnie Jackson. 

📷Street Food Project manager Ally Katkowski. Run by Growing Links CIC, Street Food Project is welcoming some of the community’s most vulnerable people into its brand new premises at the Safe & Well Hub, the former John Daniel Centre in Heamoor. Growing Links CIC was awarded £8,313 of grant funding from Penzance Council to buy and install a commercial kitchen in the building. Photo by Penzance Council.

Photo: Street Food Project manager Ally Katkowski. 

📷Wayne Sanders has been coming to Street Food Project since he first became homeless. Run by Growing Links CIC, Street Food Project is welcoming some of the community’s most vulnerable people into its brand new premises at the Safe & Well Hub, the former John Daniel Centre in Heamoor. Growing Links CIC was awarded £8,313 of grant funding from Penzance Council to buy and install a commercial kitchen in the building. Photo by Penzance Council.

Photo: Wayne Sanders has been coming to Street Food Project since he first became homeless.