Community food projects in Ealing and across London are being invited to apply for a free development programme aimed at helping local grassroots organisations become more sustainable and expand their impact.
The seven-month Cook for Change programme, run by social enterprise Cook for Good, will offer 20 places to people running food and cooking initiatives. Participants will take part in a three-day bootcamp, pitch training delivered with Google, and one-to-one support from industry experts to develop business plans and explore new income streams.
Cook for Good, based on housing association giant Peabody’s Priory Green Estate in Islington, said the programme is designed to help community groups strengthen their organisations while continuing to address issues such as food insecurity, social isolation and barriers to employment.
The first Cook for Change programme last year supported 10 social entrepreneurs working on projects ranging from community kitchens and after-school clubs to cooking classes for parents. Cook for Good said all participants completed a business plan, while seven developed a new product or service and six created jobs by hiring new staff.
Andrea Purslow, head of strategic partnerships and funding at Peabody, said: “We’ve supported Cook for Change from the very beginning because we’ve seen the difference community-led food projects make to people’s lives. This programme helps grassroots organisations become more resilient and financially sustainable, so they can continue making a lasting impact to residents and neighbourhoods.”
Also supporting the initiative is another housing association, L&Q. Jo Pope, strategic partnerships manager at L&Q said: “With food insecurity being such a high priority, we are very excited to be one of the four partners in this great programme. Our aim is that by supporting community food-focused social enterprises today, it will help create food security tomorrow.”
Emma Stewart, development director at Cook for Good, said: “After a successful pilot in 2025, we are really excited to be rolling out Cook for Change 2026 and to support more community leaders to develop as social entrepreneurs and equip them with the skills, connections and confidence to grow their ventures.”
For more information and to apply, click here.
