MADE IN HACKNEY *cvoO¥ MADE IN HACKNEY COMMUNITY COOKERY SCHOOL IMPACT REPORT 2023-2024 ## **CHAIR’S WELCOME** ## _**CLARE PREEDY, CHAIR OF TRUSTEES**_ ## **Strengthening community connections and support** Our primary work remains delivered through our community cookery school, with more than 1,000 people attending classes to learn how to grow, cook and eat more plant-based food and connect with others in the community. These classes, as well as our longer courses, are themed by culturally diverse cuisine or targeted to groups focused on specific skills gaps, needs or health issues, such as cooking for type 2 diabetes, and the feedback received from participants continues to be overwhelmingly positive. **With the standard of living crisis impacting millions of households, tackling inequalities and improving access to healthy, climate-friendly food has never been more important.** Our community meal service also continues under the new title of “Community Made”, and now directly involves community members in creating the meals that are distributed to those residents most in need of this support, with more than 20,000 meals delivered over the year. It gives me great pleasure to introduce Made In Hackney’s 2023/24 Annual Impact Report, which sets out our achievements in the past twelve months in progressing towards our mission. Over the year, we have continued to deliver initiatives that provide crucial support to our local communities, helping to address challenges and inequalities in health and food access to enable more people to lead healthier, more sustainable lives using the power of plants. Successful fundraising and outreach events, alongside the running of “Masterclasses” and “Team Building” events, have remained key funding sources for these community programmes. ## **Broadening our reach** We have extended our support both nationally and internationally, building on last year’s successful launch of our “Global Plant Kitchens” initiative and further developing our “Plant Prospects” programme. Through Global Plant Kitchens, we have inspired and supported vegan food initiatives in 30 countries by providing a course, toolkit and mentoring, with many great examples outlined in this report. Our Plant Prospects programme has provided workshops, training and a toolkit for businesses and organisations to help them incorporate more plant-based options in their food offerings. Including successful initiatives working within the education and health sectors as we widen our influence and the network of organisations we work with. ## **A recipe for success** As our inspiring Founder, Sarah Bentley, stepped into an ambassadorial role for the charity, and we bid a fond farewell to our Operations Manager, Rashmi Joshi, and Development Manager, Fran Humber, we have continued to review and reshape the organisation’s structure and resources to ensure we have the right recipe for future growth and impact. As a result, the Board of Trustees, in full consultation with staff, took the decision to evolve the organisation from a fully flat structure to one with a clear senior leadership hierarchy. With this, we welcomed Georgia Parry as Director of Operations, and Noma Siwela as our new Head of Development, forming a new Senior Leadership team that will report to an Executive Director for Made In Hackney; a role that will be appointed in 2025. We also took time this year to reflect on Made In Hackney’s journey so far and ambitions for the future; undertaking a thorough process to audit our current position, sharpen our goals and craft a new five-year strategy. More on this to follow in 2025 so watch this space! I am hugely proud of the Made In Hackney team for their unwavering dedication to our purpose and ability to adapt and change as the organisation and our impact grows. Last but by no means least, I also want to take this opportunity to give heartfelt thanks to all those who have supported us over the year; all contributions, regardless of how big or small, or the form in which they take, from donations to our invaluable volunteers, play a vital role in making all of the great achievements outlined in this report possible. ## **Clare Preedy** ## **Chair of Trustees, Made in Hackney** MADE IN HACKNEY | IMPACT REPORT 2023-2024| 3 ## ABOUT MADE IN HACKNEY ## _**How do we do this?**_ ## OUR VISION **Inspire & educate** ## **Made In Hackney believes in a world where:** In our community cookery school we inspire people to grow, cook and eat more plants. Our online and in-person classes showcase nutritious, culturally diverse, planet-friendly food. - **Everyone has access to enough** - **health-supporting, nutritious food of their preference** - **Plant-centred eating is the norm not the exception** ## **Support & care** - **The food system is equitable and supports people, planet and animals to thrive** We provide sessions for people to batch cook meals for themselves and the wider community. We work with marginalised communities to ensure no one is left behind in the transition to a climate friendly food system. **Everything we do strives to make this vision a reality.** ## OUR MISSION ## **Train & change** **Reduce health inequalities, increase access to climate friendly food and bring communities together using the power of plants.** Our Plant Prospects programme offers consultancy and training to civil society, businesses and healthcare to inspire changes to menus, food policy and culture to go more plant-based. ## **Movement building** Our Global Plant Kitchens programme offers training and mentorship to collectives to build an international movement of plantbased community kitchens. We strive to do all this with joy, respect and collaboration. ## **Our three pillars of impact are:** **HEALTH & WELLBEING** **ENVIRONMENT** **COMMUNITY** Our programmes include: With a focus on supporting projects beyond Hackney, we have expanded our ability to support communities that experience food and health inequalities. - The **Community Cookery School** – online and in-person cooking classes. - The **Community Meal Service** – direct-to-household free meal delivery service and to local community groups. Groups we worked with this year: • Low-income households Asylum seekers • Cultural and religious groups • LGBTQIA + community members • Girls and young women • affected by the care system Domestic abuse survivors • Carers • People with long-term health challenges • Young diverse women • Youth groups • School children • Elders • Families • Women experiencing peri/menopause ## • **Plant Prospects** (formally known as Plant Futures) – influencing and training organisations and businesses to go more plant-based. - **Global Plant Kitchens** – an international mentoring scheme and online training course to build a movement of plant-based community kitchens. We support people with a wide variety of health conditions and concerns. Hannah Walker, a nutritionist and Made In Hackney teacher, delivered a range of one-toone nutrition support consultations. These were designed for anyone with a specific health/nutrition concern, including those with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), diabetes, and nutritional deficiencies. Over the last year our services have helped **over 5,622 people** to lead healthier, happier, more environmentally sustainable lives. This is through the breadth of our programme and includes cookery class participants, volunteers, event attendees such as at our community feasts, people attending training sessions and learning or being mentored via Global Plant Kitchens. MADE IN HACKNEY | IMPACT REPORT 2023-2024| 5 ## OUR IMPACT ## LAST YEAR AT A GLANCE **----- Start of picture text -----**
© Nick David
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In our twelfth year we:
HEALTH &
COMMUNITY
Hosted 10 team builds WELLBEING
Worked with attended by 168 people
5,622 people
eat more fresh
fruits and met new people
88% 96%
vegetables
Had 184 participants
Provided 20,400 free from 30 countries
community meals to take part in our global increased their of volunteers felt
909 people
training programme 84% confidence to 83% more connected to
cook from scratch their community
Hosted 398 events , Completed volunteer increased their
including 169 cooking induction and training 82% physical wellbeing felt more connected
classes 85%
in food hygiene, to their community
child/vulnerable adult
said attending the
safeguarding and first
Provided 10 training aid for 80 people 91% classes supported
sessions to 94 food their mental wellbeing
service professionals ENVIRONMENT
increased their
via our Plant Prospects
programme Hosted or attended knowledge of
35 outreach events 89% healthy food
Held 5 community inspired to eat
feasts improved their 73% less meat
92%
cooking skills
Made In Hackney is an
amazing project that increased their
Facilitated 4,863 creates a great sense of knowledge of how
volunteer hours working with 240 by community unlike no other 77% to cook on a budget
volunteers in London.
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we do all this by promoting planet-friendly, plant-based and culturally varied food. **Daniela, class participant** 7 MADE IN HACKNEY | IMPACT REPORT 2023-2024| ## WHAT WE DO ## **Education** The majority of our work is delivered through our community cookery school in east London, however, as we continue to grow we have forged partnerships across London and beyond. This year we ran 128 community classes with 1,029 people. These are typically 2-3 hours long and are attended by a diverse range of people from across Hackney, and beyond. ## **Community classes** ## **Class themes and topics** Our community cookery classes offer the opportunity to learn how to grow, eat and cook more plants in the welcoming, inclusive and joyful environment of our east London HQ, Liberty Hall. Classes are themed either by cuisine e.g. Italian or West African, skill e.g. baking or fermenting, or need e.g. cooking on a budget or cooking for a family. We aim to create an experience that not only provides cooking skills but also knowledge about nutritious food and an opportunity for social cohesion. It is about so much more than just food! Over the year we had the following topics for cooking classes across community classes and masterclasses: West African, 5 Ingredient Meals, Ethiopian, Caribbean, Pancakes, International Cuisines, Lebanese, French, Cooking for Diabetes, Cakes and Bakes, Latin American, Persian, Fermentation, Good Mood Food, Food Growing, Hormonal Health, North Indian, Mindful Eating, Festive Baking, Cooking on a Budget, Wild Food Walks and Foraging. ## **Community Courses** Our community courses and classes are our core provision which we’ve delivered since day one. A course is typically 4 weeks long and each lesson lasts 2 hours. These focus on different skills or issues and may also target different groups within the community e.g. elders or people with type 2 diabetes. This year we ran 18 courses attended by 233 people attending 585 times. These classes included Public Health funded courses that are targeted at various health conditions or preventative measures. _**Made In Hackney has helped**_ _**me to continue to improve my eating habits. I believe in the holistic approach to health and wellbeing. The major part of this is eating healthily. Made In Hackney has helped me to find an alternative lifestyle in eating. Simple, delicious and wholesome meals that are easy to cook. As a pensioner I find the courses a way of meeting new people and making friends. The community spirit is inspiring. I pray that Made In Hackney will continue to inspire healthy lifestyles to deepen community connections.**_ **Antonia, Cooking for over 50s Class Participant** _**Made In Hackney is a gem of a community organisation. I took a free International Cuisine**_ 473 _**course and found the staff and volunteers to be incredibly kind, helpful, and supportive. I had a really lovely time getting to know my neighbours better, and I always went home with several meals to kickstart my cooking for the week. I would absolutely recommend this organisation and am really grateful for the work they do in our community.**_ **Kassondra, International Cooking Class Participant** MADE IN HACKNEY | IMPACT REPORT 2023-2024| 9 ## CASE STUDY Denise _**I used the five-week course**_ **Denise is a local resident who** _**as a rehab tool to get out of the**_ **has attended 12 community** _**house, engage with others and**_ **classes this year. She talks** _**do light activity, whilst**_ **about her experience of the** _**recovering from pneumonia.**_ **Five Ingredient Meal course, and cooking with her daughter.** Denise says, “I really enjoyed the continuity of the five-week course, especially since I was dealing with health issues. I used it as a rehab tool to get out of the house, engage with others, and do some light activity. Cooking with others provided the support I needed since I was struggling to cook at home. It was great to know I'd have a well-balanced meal each day, and sometimes I could take leftovers home, which eased the stress on my energy levels while recovering from pneumonia. I really like this course because I don’t have a ton of spices or ingredients at home; I tend to collect them but use them only once or twice. The class was helpful as it focused on essential ingredients and allowed for customisation. I also discovered different versions of Caribbean recipes, like baking plantains instead of frying them, which completely changed my perspective on cooking. Overall, I appreciate learning about the main ingredients I need while still being able to adapt the recipes. I sometimes feel disconnected from our food, and I don’t have access to any outside space. I wanted to do something with my daughter to encourage her to try to grow things. If someone else guides her, she’s more likely to pay attention. The food growing class was fantastic! Now she’s really into eating herbs because of what we learned together. Whenever we cook, she says, 'Let me get my herbs out!' and she makes certain dishes, which is awesome.” ## **Working with schools and young people** Over the years we developed relationships with several local schools and youth clubs. In January 2024, we delivered a fourweek course with Hackney Quest Youth Club. 19 young people participated in total. Participants enjoyed the course and said that it helped them eat more healthy foods, and all of them would like to do another cookery lesson. We also worked with Chatsworth Road Youth Club to deliver a four-week Veg-out course between February and March 2024. 11 young people participated in these evening classes themed ‘Going Vegan’. In the feedback we received, all participants enjoyed the class. In particular, Luka said ‘my favourite meal was the bean patty and carrot salad’ and Andrea said “I will miss my teachers and cookery lessons.” At Oldhill Primary School we delivered four cooking classes between July and October, with 1012 children under 12 years old participating in each session. 92% of them said that they really enjoyed the cookery class and learned something new. Two-thirds said the cookery class helped them eat more healthy foods like fruit and vegetables, and all of them expressed interest in attending another cookery lesson. We also continued to run Peng Patties: a youth-focussed project that combines cooking skills with enterprise. We delivered 4 sessions in May and June, with around 12 participants per session. 11 MADE IN HACKNEY | IMPACT REPORT 2023-2024| ## **Community Feasts** This year 134 people attended five community feasts. Two of these were run in collaboration with Hackney Quest which were attended by people from the local community, specifically elders within the community. These were held at Frampton Park in Hackney and catered culturally diverse food for attendees. We also hosted the Made In Hackney festive party and Community Feast in December 2023 at our local partner venue, Redmond Community Centre in Manor House. The event celebrated our community and brought together teachers, volunteers, beneficiaries and supporters. Food company Mr Organic ran a food bank, our team cooked free food for the community, and we showcased independent vegan businesses with a festive market. ## **Online Classes** After pivoting to online classes during the COVID-19 pandemic, last year we ran a mix of online and faceto-face classes as people returned to their pre-pandemic routines. This year, we recognised that the preference is generally back to learning to cook in person, therefore we only ran four online classes. The highlight was a masterclass with fermentation hero Sandor Katz who dazzled participants from around the world with his knowledge and passion. ## **Who we work with** The participants we work with are from a diverse range of backgrounds. Below show some the demographics we collected from our participants this year: ## **Community cooking classes attendees by age** ## **Community services beneficiaries by ethnicity** **----- Start of picture text -----**
6.51%
20.67%
59.78%
13.04%
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MADE IN HACKNEY | IMPACT REPORT 2023-2024| 13 ## **Enterprise** Our enterprise activities enable us to reach beyond our Hackney community to share food education, knowledge and skills. They also provide vital income for us and an ability to forge meaningful connections and partnerships. ## **Masterclasses** We ran 19 masterclasses this year, 1 online and 18 in-person at our Liberty Hall HQ. These 4-6 hour classes were attended 183 times by 179 different people. As well as cooking cuisines such as Ethiopian and South Indian they include our Wild Food Walk regularly held in Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park to teach people how to forage in urban spaces. All these classes provide funding towards our community programme. _**The class was well thought**_ _**out and structured. We all rotated and contributed to all 10 of the dishes so it was truly communal and we all made parts of each dish. I learnt a lot about Ethiopian food and culture which was beautiful. Sitting down together and sharing the food was exquisite. We left very full and happy!**_ **Charlotte, Ethiopian Masterclass Participant** ## **Outreach Events** This year we attended 35 outreach events from community events to trade shows. These events enable us to go beyond Hackney to share information on the benefits of a healthy and nutritious plant-based diet. At these events, our activities range from food demonstrations and tasters, to talks, panel events, stalls and markets. We are also inspired by the people we meet and the connections we make at these events and hope that such interactions encourage people to incorporate more plants into their diet. Made In Hackney was the featured charity partner at the three-day Vegan Life Live consumer show held at Alexandra Palace in London in October 2024. Our chefs and team members delivered three cookery demonstrations to live audiences whilst Founder Sarah Bentley and Community Partnerships Manager Sean O’Callaghan delivered a talk on food security and the importance of plant-based nutrition within social justice. The Made In Hackney stall staffed by team members and volunteers interacted with hundreds of show attendees, collected newsletter signups, promoted services and drummed up support for the Crowdfunder campaign. We took part in the Be The Future Market in Kings Cross across weekends in September and October 2024. This was an opportunity to engage directly with potential supporters within a central London vegan market. Our team and volunteers spoke to market attendees about our services and ways to support the charity. Brand partners Clearspring and Mr Organic kindly provided product giveaways while our team collected newsletter signups and donations. We participated in cookery demonstrations and/or outreach stalls at the Climate Friendly Pop Up Kitchen (Great Exhibition Road Festival), Hackney Council Health & Wellbeing Day, Plant Based World Expo, Hackney Sustainability Day, Healthier Together Hackney, Healthy Hearts Information Session, Information Session for Hackney Migrant Centre, London Permaculture Festival, Hackney Congolese Women Support Group and Vegandale. Our partner Mr Organic hosted a Food Bank in Liberty Hall, handing out ambient groceries as well as fresh produce to local families and Made In Hackney beneficiaries. MADE IN HACKNEY | IMPACT REPORT 2023-2024| 15 ## **Team-building and employee wellbeing** Team-building activities are a great way for organisations to provide a fun and inspirational activity which supports our community as well as giving organisations and individuals insight into the benefits of plantbased foods. These are typically themed cooking classes or involvement in our batch cooking programme Community Made. This year we provided 10 teambuilding activities to clients including Mr Organic, 6POINT6, DWS, Lesser Accounting Generation IM, Accenture, Adobe, Commerzbank, EA (Electronic Arts), Warner Music, AXA XL and Syli. ## **Fundraising events activities** We hosted several fundraising events across the year with partner restaurants including the Culinary Conversations series with Purezza in February, March, April, and May 2024. We hosted a wellness day Retreat In The City at EDIT in Hackney. Independent restaurant Dauns of Shoreditch hosted a fundraising dinner for us, as did Marylebone restaurant Veg Box Café on World Earth Day. Other fundraising partnerships and events included a Neat Burger limited edition burger donation campaign, the Round Retail vegan clothing popup fundraiser, the I AM NUT OK founder running the Hackney Half Marathon on behalf of Made In Hackney, and independent art space Karamel hosting a vegan musician showcase fundraiser for us. We continue to collaborate with Fuller’s Pubs through the sale of the Made In Hackney burger at participating venues. ## **Community Made** ## **The Community Meal Service** Community Made evolved from the previous meal service model to one that incorporates a community engagement and education element. Community members come together to prepare and cook meals - supported by Head Chef Flo Francis and Logistics Coordinator Matt Butler - that reach even more people in the community. During each session, after cooking, participants take time to sit together and enjoy food whilst creating cohesion and sharing stories. They have created a joyful, supportive people come back week after week to get involved. At the very end of the last financial year, we moved the meal service inhouse to our Liberty Hall HQ to create opportunities for the community to get involved in cooking. This year it has grown organically to be even more ingrained in the day-to-day life at Made In Hackney in its new iteration as Community Made. MADE IN HACKNEY | IMPACT REPORT 2023-2024| 17 The service supports people in the Hackney community with six free nutritious, culturally diverse precooked plant-based meals delivered to their homes by cycle courier or via a partner organisation. Cooking and delivery days are Mondays and Wednesdays. This year we cooked 20,400 free meals and supported 909 people. _**I thoroughly enjoy the social aspect of the group and I am happy to be involved in providing a service to the community to those who are less fortunate than myself. I have learnt a lot about plant-based cooking and I enjoy a large percentage of the food we produce. My daughter has been plagued with cancer and I find my time spent amongst my friends at Made In Hackney has helped to provide me with a productive distraction for one day a week and I am very grateful for that.**_ **Roy, Class Participant** ## **Plant Prospects** This year Plant Prospects continued to offer support and information to organisations and businesses on how to incorporate more plants into their menus and food offerings. This includes workshops and training that build knowledge of everything from plant-based staples to how to create nutritious and balanced meals, featuring food demonstrations and tastings. We have been overwhelmed by the success of these sessions and the feedback that demonstrates that many people are still not familiar with plant-based eating and its benefits. Our Plant Based Toolkit is a practical manual for creating delicious, nutritious, budget-conscious plantbased food and continues to be distributed nationally to thousands of businesses, organisations and collectives in ‘food power’ positions. This year we held 10 events, attended by 94 people who work across food provision services. One of these was attended by four organisations that have a combined reach of 23,000 which shows the range of influence we can have! _**Very informative workshop - really enjoyed the discussions, recipes and developing my knowledge on plant-based food. Look forward to recreating the recipes.**_ **Workshop Attendee** In the education sector, we ran workshops with Islington Schools which led to at least 12,500 more plant-based meals being served on their menus within six months. We have also strengthened our relationship with Plant Based Universities, consulting with various university chapters and advising them on how to approach discussions around a transition to plant-based food. _**I will research recipes and**_ _**check the feasibility of including more plant-based options in the Islington catering contract.**_ **Jessica, Islington Council** . MADE IN HACKNEY | IMPACT REPORT 2023-2024| 19 GLOBAL PLANT KITCHENS IN NUMBERS Our work also stretches to the health sector. We presented our work to around 20 health professionals from NHS North East London at the Green Primary Care Webinar on sustainable diets and health. We also attended a health day in collaboration with Hackney council at their Millfields depot. Our stall attracted around 55 people and we had meaningful conversations with about 25 people throughout the day about the benefits of plant-based eating on health. We also distributed culturally appropriate recipe sheets that were tailored to address common health conditions of staff members. Working with corporates, we cohosted a meeting that brought food sector expertise together from Hackney and more widely across London to discuss sustainable diets as part of a Tesco and British Nutrition Foundation meeting. This year we hosted our first plantbased catering at scale webinar aimed to engage people in food service roles who might be less familiar with plant-based options, ingredients and sourcing. We had 80 sign-ups from across the UK and Europe, including chefs, business owners, food partnership leads and campaigners. We continue to support alumni across the Plant Prospects network with regular newsletters and resources, as well as direct support with some of the organisations that we connected with during the initial phase of the project including Barking and Dagenham Council and St Luke’s Community Centre. _**Great resources and recipes**_ _**that can be easily adapted. Enabled full engagement on a number of levels for the learner and experience in exploring foods, types of vegetables and making meals on a low budget.**_ **Plant Prospects Workshop Attendee** ## **Global Plant Kitchens** Launched in 2022, Global Plant Kitchens is our international programme which supports people and organisations that aspire to set up a vegan community cookery school in their area or country. We know from conversations with members and our evaluation that the Global Plant Kitchens programme inspires and supports people globally to start a vegan food initiative. People from 30 countries have registered for free access to the course and toolkit. They are in different stages of preparing and starting plant-based food initiatives. We identify the following 4 stages: ## **Exploring stage** People are excited to set up a vegan cookery school like Made In Hackney. Typically they can see opportunities for their community, and they share to develop ideas, look for team members and pilot some cookery sessions. Their biggest challenges are to find someone to partner with, to take the steps to set up a formal organisation and to secure their income through fundraising. ## **Start-up stage** People are registering their initiative, applying for funding / organising a crowdfunding campaign, looking for a venue and planning their programme. **one-to-one mentoring 65 sessions** - **4 on-site day visits by a mentor** - **UK mentees in Manchester,** - **5 Exeter, Cambridge, Surrey and Folkestone** - **international mentees Lima,** - **2 Peru and Stellenbosch, South Africa** - **Live webinars and 6** - **2 recorded webinars** **webinar views 845 on YouTube** **81 New registrations** **184[participants from] 30 countries** **12 newsletters** ## **Adapting stage** Organisations that have existed for a while but are now adapting also to be a plant-based cookery school. ## **Sustainable stage** Initiatives are running successful programmes, are funded, have a venue and are well connected in their community. 21 MADE IN HACKNEY | IMPACT REPORT 2023-2024| ## **Personal invitations** We know the power of direct contact and support and have been told that this is what people engaged in the programme value the most and what enables them to take the first steps. That is why we invite every new member registered for a chat: to hear more about their plans and ideas and discuss how we can best support them. This has generated inspiring online and email conversations. These provide insights into the motivation and capabilities of those who apply to Global Plant Kitchens and offer opportunities to support and connect people. Examples of our power to connect people globally are illustrated below. A new member from France visited our kitchen in Hackney and participated in a Community Made cooking session. Back in France, they have started a neighbourhood vegetable garden project and plan to attach a vegan café to it in 2025. _**Thank you for opening your**_ _**kitchen to us, and sharing your experience. I now have homework to do to continue building a project which, I can only hope, will radiate like yours**_ ## **Member, France** In several cases, we were able to put people in touch with other GPK members, as they work near each other or target the same audience: Macau & Cambodia: a GPK member in Cambodia works with the University in Hong Kong and we introduced her to our GPK mentee alumni in Macau. Now the GPK mentee alumni in Macau teaches vegan cooking classes in schools as part of the Hong Kong University's research programme. Wales & Ely: we spoke to a new GPK member from Wales who works with school children and was thinking about how to start small because they are “the only vegans in the area”. We put them in touch with a GPK member in Ely who has experience with cooking classes for children. South Africa: we put a member who runs a historic vegetable garden in contact with our mentee in South Africa. ## **Mentoring programme** Through our bespoke mentoring programme, we aim to build sustainable cookery schools that are run by a local team and are wellfunded. Through mentoring, seven projects have been supported to take the crucial step of setting up a formal organisation and developing their business plan or starting to deliver classes. Examples are shared below. ## **Peru (Start-up stage)** Rosa, Carlos, Jorge, Ricardo, Angela and Alison are dedicated volunteers at the heart of the group at Olas Communes Veganas with an inspiring ambition: they want to transform the menus of the 13,000 community kitchens in Peru to plantbased dishes. They grew the kitchens they work with and started working on a cookbook, to teach people in community kitchens delicious and affordable plant-based meals. _**The mentoring has helped**_ _**us stick to an every-other-week commitment. We gather at 6am Peru time, before everyone goes to work. The modules are like the glue in our process and the documents I found in the toolkit have been very helpful. I’ve translated them to Spanish and put them into context. It is great that we can watch the recorded online events with Spanish subtitles.**_ **Mentee, Peru** ## **Manchester (Start-up stage)** Emel volunteered at Made In Hackney when she lived in London. On moving to Manchester she decided to start the first vegan community cookery school in her new hometown. She joined our mentor programme in May 2023. She set up Greens & Others CIC, connected with a lot of local projects, rented a kitchen for her classes, secured National Lottery funding and ran her first cookery courses. _**The programme is extremely**_ _**helpful. It supported me to register my CIC, secure funding and now I am delivering the first plant-based community classes. It is amazing. In the modules and toolkit Made In Hackney shared everything, it makes setting up my own easier**_ **Mentee, Manchester** 23 MADE IN HACKNEY | IMPACT REPORT 2023-2024| ## **Stellenbosch (Start-up stage)** Erilene is a professional baker and food consultant who joined our mentor programme in May 2024 to set up a vegan community cookery school in Stellenbosch. She partnered with a restaurant based in a local community centre, developed recipes and trained their chefs to add nine plant-based dishes to their menu. On Heritage Day, a national event celebrating the diverse cultures and traditions of South Africa, they cooked traditional 'Braai' dishes but all vegan! This showcased the breadth of plantbased foods to the local community and spotlighted the project. _**The Global Plant Kitchens**_ _**programme is great. Through you, I saw other food projects that we need here in South Africa. I get wonderful ideas from you and the people that are connected with you.**_ **Mentee, South Africa** ## **Godalming (Start-up stage)** Frédie founded Joyfull Greens, a vegan community cookery school in Godalming, Surrey, after joining our mentor programme in June 2024. In her work as a French teacher at a college, she was impressed by the positive impact of cooking on the wellbeing of students. She has built a team, registered as a CIC, partnered with a local environment charity, promoted her project with flyers and a stall at a local event, secured funding for the first community classes and volunteered at a Made In Hackney Community Made session. It is a joy to work with Joyfull Greens! _**This place is amazing, it is**_ _**like a well run machine! It also feels overwhelming.” (After volunteering in MIH kitchen)**_ **Mentee, Godalming** ## **Cambridge (Adapting stage)** In April 2023 we started mentoring a non-vegan sustainable food project in Cambridge to set up a vegan cookery school. They have secured funding, contracted a project manager and vegan teacher, started building a kitchen and have run a crowdfunding campaign. Due to changing circumstances and their organisation's financial struggles, they decided to stop the project and have integrated plant-based cooking classes into their regular activities. They found the mentoring sessions and the examples save a lot of time setting things up. ## _**It is very helpful to have sample**_ _**documents, we used the templates in the toolkit and these were definitely helpful to get started**_ **Mentee, Cambridge** ## **Folkestone (Adapting stage)** Lee and James run Dr Legumes CIC, a popular plant-based restaurant in Folkestone. They joined our mentor programme in March 2024 to set up a community cookery school. Their focus was on finding a venue, partnering with their local college and securing funding. After exploring several options, they decided to transform their restaurant space into a community hub where they can run classes and provide community meals. In October 2024 they agreed with East Kent College to deliver 5 workshops for 60 student chefs in partnership with Made In Hackney’s Plant Prospects programme. _**The GPK programme ticks all the**_ _**areas we hope and strive to make an impact in. We also have a huge interest in future partnerships/ cookery classes.**_ **Mentee, Folkestone** ## **Exeter (Sustainable stage)** Maresa joined our mentor programme in April 2023. She was running LOVE Food CIC, an established vegan community cookery school in Exeter and wanted to grow the provision and secure a venue. She partnered with a nutritionist and Made In Hackney teacher who now runs regular classes for LOVE Food. Maresa successfully applied for more funding and ran a crowdfunder campaign to open a venue. In summer 2024 they opened their beautiful community kitchen. Having their own space provides versatility and reach. _**The mentoring programme was**_ _**just what I needed to grow my initiative. Made In Hackney linked me with a plant-based nutritionist and teacher who lives nearby and who has delivered popular classes for us.**_ **Mentee, Exeter** 25 MADE IN HACKNEY | IMPACT REPORT 2023-2024| ## **Volunteering** _**Whenever I had the time to**_ _**volunteer with MIH I felt so good to help, give and be part of a community. Everyone I met was such lovely people and the vibe was really fun in the kitchen preparing food and meals. I also really enjoy assisting on the cookery classes too.**_ This year our Volunteer Manager Sukhin Tye worked with an incredible 240 volunteers who completed 4,863 volunteer hours over 3,935 volunteer opportunities. Thank you to every volunteer that we’ve worked with this year - we truly couldn’t do it without you! ## **Volunteer** Volunteer roles included online class host, in-person class host, meal service kitchen assistant, meal service logistical support, nutrition support, Liberty Hall project assistant, and summer intern. Volunteers report positive outcomes in all of Made In Hackney’s key impact pillars of health, environment and community. 25% of volunteers stay with Made In Hackney for over a year with 57% of them volunteering 1-5 times and 20% 6-10 times. 57% of volunteers have increased their consumption of fruit and vegetables with 56% increasing the amount that they cook from scratch - noting that 24% of people who volunteer with Made In Hackney are already vegetarian or vegan and 13% pescetarian. Many improved their plant-based cookery skills and decreased their consumption of meat, developed an enhanced sense of wellbeing and purpose, a greater connection to their local community, improved mental health or gained employability skills. 69% said their mental wellbeing had improved in the last 12 months and 50% said their physical wellbeing had improved in the last 12 months. 75% of volunteers with health conditions agreed that MIH had influenced their ability to improve their condition. _**Thank you so much! I have**_ _**enjoyed being at Made In Hackney so much and I am so thankful that you were willing to mentor and guide me. It's great that I will now be able to list Salesforce as one of my skills on my CV. I have felt incredibly supported and you made me feel as though I can ask any question! I have gained so much knowledge and insights which will definitely help me in the future.**_ **Summer Intern** _**Working in a busy community**_ _**kitchen, helping at classes, being around wonderful and supportive people has enriched my personal growth, expanded my culinary and social knowledge, plus taught me even more how to work effectively in a team, while contributing positively to the community. You get to see the direct impact of our work on people in your community. It fosters a sense of accomplishment, and it helps you to build connections with others. This has all been an extraordinary and positive experience for me; it has had a full positive impact on myself, and has therefore enhanced my future altogether.**_ **Volunteer** 83% of volunteers felt more connected to their community, with 89% agreeing that they met people they wouldn’t normally meet. 63% agreed that they had gained skills and experiences useful for their future prospects and 35% agreed they have used these to get a job. ## **Corporate volunteers** Thank you to employee volunteers from Adobe, Aegis, AXA XL, AXA Atout Coeur, Apple, Dr. Martens, Higgins Partnership, Salesforce, Sodexo, The Good Society, Too Good To Go, and UsTwo. MADE IN HACKNEY | IMPACT REPORT 2023-2024| 27 ## VOLUNTEER CASE STUDY Alma **Alma is an 80-year volunteer, who started volunteering at Made In Hackney in June 2024. Since then, she has contributed over 100 hours of her time to support the Community Made meal service, community classes and masterclasses, as well as being a warm and proactive volunteer at our outreach stall at Vegan Life Live in October 2024.** Alma says, _**Made In Hackney is a**_ _**lifeline for the community, but also for people like myself who are looking for a purpose after retiring. It is like my second home and every week I look forward to coming.**_ “I have always loved vegetables and eat them daily as a side dish, but volunteering for MIH has given me a greater insight into how to prepare plant-based mains. I have learnt that there are so many different ways to prepare nutritious plant-based meals. I feel very happy after a volunteering session. It's rewarding to know that I have helped to prepare food for so many people in need. It is also great for my wellbeing as I come away from the sessions feeling like I have spent the day with friends. The Made In Hackney team are fantastic and they put their hearts into everything they do. They are so warm and welcoming and are very appreciative of the volunteers. MIH is a lifeline for the community, but also for people like myself who are looking for a purpose after retiring. It is like my second home and every week I look forward to coming.” ## Peter ## VOLUNTEER CASE STUDY **Peter is a dedicated volunteer who started working with us in March 2023. He supports us in our community cooking classes & meal service sessions, and has volunteered 100 times this year! Peter makes every day brighter with his positive energy, sense of humour and delicious cakes. His passion for cooking started when he went to boarding school and began working in the kitchens. He later went on to catering college, before moving to London to continue a career in hospitality that lasted 30 years. Peter uses his skills and knowledge in our kitchen to support the smooth running of our operations.** Peter says, “What I enjoy most about volunteering for MIH is meeting incredible people. I’ve relearned patience and the importance of accepting others, while improving my communication skills. I’ve realised it’s okay to be quiet sometimes. Volunteering has positively challenged me, helping me overcome stagnation and mental health struggles, especially as a gay man living alone. After each session, I often feel tired but fulfilled, especially when participants express gratitude for what they’ve learned. It’s rewarding to know I’ve made a difference. Volunteering has also changed my diet; I now eat more fresh produce, cook more plant-based meals, because my understanding is so much better and I have become more adventurous with food. My experience has restored my confidence and reignited my passion for cooking, which greatly benefits my mental health. The community aspect is essential; food brings people together and transcends differences. Educating the next generation about food sustainability is crucial. Some highlights include the joy of being with fellow food lovers and teaching others. Volunteering has boosted my confidence and inspired me to try new activities like Church Bell Ringing, which is equally sociable and rewarding.” MADE IN HACKNEY | IMPACT REPORT 2023-2024| 29 ## **Thank you, Sarah!** This year our founder Sarah Bentley stepped down after 12 years leading Made In Hackney. Her passion for creating a more equitable world through vegan food is what has drawn so many people to Made In Hackney and that inspiring and energetic leadership will be missed. It’s almost impossible to summarise Sarah’s impact in words, but a few of Sarah’s incredible moments over the years include ensuing MIH was quick to respond to the community’s needs when COVID-19 hit; securing funding and setting up our batch cooking service; feeding the most vulnerable members of Hackney’s community as well as fostering a new community through the large number of new volunteers cooking and supporting their community. It’s certainly not the last we’ll see of Sarah though as she has been busy working on the organisation’s first cookbook and will continue with us in an ambassadorial role. ## **Alliances** We continued to be members of the Eating Better alliance and took part in their strategy day. We are also part of Hackney Food Network and Community Health Champions Network plus we participate in the Green Britain Partnership with Ecotricity. ## **Our funders** 4 Good, Age UK Islington, Adobe Foundation, Amazon, AXA Atout Coeur, AXA XL Reinsurance, Bupa Foundation, Chapman Charitable Trust, City Bridge Foundation, Clearspring, Craigslist Charitable Fund, David and Ruth Lewis Family Charitable Trust, Fuller’s, Garfield Weston Foundation, Generation Foundation, Groundwork, Hackney Council, Hackney VCS, Karuna Foundation, L&Q Housing Trust, London City Airport Community Fund, Sodexo’s Stop the Hunger Foundation, Southall Trust, Support + Feed, The Clothworkers’ Foundation, The Jansen Foundation, The National Lottery Community Fund, The Worshipful Company of Insurers, Veg Trust, Vegans Against World Hunger, Viridian Nutrition, Watkins. 31 MADE IN HACKNEY | IMPACT REPORT 2023-2024| ## OUR TEAM ## **Leadership team** more clear leadership hierarchy, proposing three new senior roles; Executive Director, Head of Development, and Director of Operations. Two of these roles were recruited during this financial year, with a new salary level introduced to reflect seniority and scope, and the final role will commence next year. This is an exciting change for the organisation, increasing oversight whilst continuing to foster collaboration to allow for a more effective workforce. The interim leadership team continued to steer the organisation on issues of strategy, HR, finance and other leadership issues. This has been particularly important as Sarah Bentley officially stepped back from the organisation into an ambassadorial role. Fran Humber, Development Manager, and Rashmi Joshi, Operations Manager also left the organisation this year, with these changes prompting a review of resources. The leadership team at the end of 2023-24 was Georgia Parry and Noma Siwela, supported by Jacqueline Casteljins. Subsequently, the Board of Trustees, in consultation with staff, decided to evolve the organisation from a flat structure into one with a **Jacqueline Casteljins** Global Plant Kitchens Manager **Noma Siwela** Head of Development **Georgia Parry** Director of Operations **Mauro Strumendo** Plant Prospects Manager **Sukhin Tye** Volunteer Manager **Floella Francis** Community Food Head Chef **Jingyi Ma** Coordinator **Matt Butler** Community Made and Outreach Manager **Andi Gaywood** Venue Manager **Jayshree Bhakta** Finance Manager **----- Start of picture text -----**
Finance Manager
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**Litchey Martins** Finance Assistant **Sean O’Callaghan** Communtiy Partnerships Manager **Emily Grant** Marketing Manager **Sonali Tailor** Cookery School Manager **Sareta Puri Special Projects** **Sareta Puri** MADE IN HACKNEY | IMPACT REPORT 2023-2024| 33 ## **Our Cookery School Teachers** ## **Our Trustees** Jordan Bourzig **•** Sharon Gardner Flo Francis • Mauro Strumendo Zoe Marks • Hannah Walker Chauntelle Lewis • Nena Ubani Sunni Patel • Karla Zazueta Fiona McAllister • Helen Graham Zahira Paul • Linda North Ken Greenway • Asa Simonsson Raphael Allerton • Woin Teigan Emel Ernalbant • Rebecca Ghim Jordan Carter • Bruna Oliveira Nishma Shah **•** Sara Shah Amandeep Verding **Chair:** Clare Preedy **Treasurer:** Irina Nedashkovskaya Basile **Board Secretary:** Sarah Biggs **Board members:** Jenny Chu Carla Garnelas • Ned Mendez Pranay Manocha **•** Bianca Stewart ## OUR FINANCES |**Income & Expenditure**|**2023-2024**
**£**|**2022-2023**
**£**| |---|---|---| |Grants & Contacts|384,368|436,326| |Enterprise|40,435|74,597| |Fundraising donations|128,553|204,201| |Other|12,494|28,840| |**Total Income**|**565,850**|**743,964**| |Total Expenditure|(605,380)|(758,369)| |**Net Income (Expenditure)**|**(39,530)**|**(14,405)**| |Total Funds Bought Forward|541,605|556,010| |**Total Funds Carried Forward**|502,075|**541,605**| |**Assets & Liabilities**||| |Fixed Assets|21,284|38,962| |Current Assets|517,236|525,357| |Current liabilities|-36,445|-22,714| |**Total Net Assets**|**502,075**|**541,605**| ## **Our Ambassadors** **----- Start of picture text -----**
Dr Rupy Aujla Dr Nitu Bajekal Sami Tamimi Andi Oliver
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## THANK YOU A big thank you to everybody we have worked with over the last year. The people who have attended our classes, the volunteers who give their time so generously, the chefs and teachers who share their valuable knowledge, our delivery partners, and to all of the people and organisations who have supported us financially. We couldn’t do it without you! 35 MADE IN HACKNEY | IMPACT REPORT 2023-2024| @madeinhackney MadeInHackney www.madeinhackney.org info@madeinhackney.org 020 8442 4266 Registered charity number 1176690 ## **Made In Hackney** Annual Financial Review and Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 October 2024 Charity Registration Number: 1176690 ## **Made In Hackney** ## **Content** ||Page Number:| |---|---| |Charitable Information|2| |Trustees Report|3-9| |Independent Examiner Report|10| |Statement of Financial Activities|11| |Balance Sheet|12| |Statement of Cash Flows|13| |Notes to Financial Statement|14-23| 1 Charity Registration Number: 1176690 ## **Made In Hackney** ## **Charity Information for the year ended 31 October 2024** |Status
Charity Name
Charity Registration Number:
Registered office
Board of Trustees
Independent Examiner
Bank
Website Address|Made In Hackney is a registered charitable organisation incorporated
on 16 January 2018
Made In Hackney
1176690
Liberty Hall
128 Clapton Common
Spring Hill, Clapton
LONDON E5 9AA
Jenny Chu
Carla Garnelas
Pranay Manocha
Ned Mendez
Irina Nedashkovskaya Basile (Treasurer)
Clare Preedy (Chair)
Sarah Biggs (Board Secretary)
Bianca Stewart
Olayinka Tomori
Longmeade Consult Ltd
The Old Rectory, Springhead Road
Northfleet, Kent, DA11 8HN
Triodos Bank
Deanery Road
Bristol, BS1 5AS
CAF Bank
25 Kings Hill Avenue
West Malling
Kent ME19 4JQ
www.madeinhackney.org| |---|---| 2 Charity Registration Number: 1176690 ## **Made In Hackney** ## **Trustees’ Report for the year ended 31 October 2024** The trustees present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the period ended 31 October 2024. The trustees have adopted the provisions of Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (Second Edition effective 1 January 2019). Made In Hackney (“MIH”) is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) registered with the Charity Commission (registered number 1176690). The governing document is a Constitution dated 16th January 2018. MIH registered with the Charity Commission on 16th January 2018. These financial statements cover the year from 1st November 2023 to 31st October 2024. ## Objectives and Activities We believe everyone deserves nourishing, health-supporting food, and are committed to helping build an equitable, plant-centred food system that supports people, planet and animals to thrive. That’s why our mission is to reduce health inequalities, increase access to nutritious, climate-friendly food and bring communities together using the power of plants. To make this possible, we deliver the following key programmes: **1. Community Cookery School** : Through our in-person community cookery school classes, we **inspire and educate** people to grow, cook and eat more plants, showcasing nutritious, culturally diverse, planet-friendly food. **2. Community Meal Service:** We provide **support and care** through our direct-to-household and local charities’ meal delivery service. Running sessions where people batch cook meals for themselves and the wider community. Working with marginalised groups to ensure no one is left behind in the transition to a healthy, climate-friendly food system. **3. Plant Prospects** _(formally Plant Futures)_ : Our Plant Prospects programme offers **consultancy and training** to civil society, businesses, and healthcare providers to **influence, inspire and facilitate changes** to menus, food policy and culture, making them more plant-based. 4. **Global Plant Kitchens** : Our Global Plant Kitchens programme offers training and mentorship to collectives to **build an international movement** of plant-based community kitchens. Furthermore, we always strive to deliver everything we do with joy, respect and collaboration. ## Fundraising Events We hosted several fundraising events across the year with partner restaurants, including the Culinary Conversations series with Purezza in February, March, April, and May 2024. We also hosted a wellness day Retreat In The City at EDIT in Hackney. In addition, Independent restaurant Dauns of Shoreditch hosted a fundraising dinner for us, as did Marylebone restaurant Veg Box Café on World Earth Day. Other fundraising partnerships and events included a Neat Burger limited edition burger donation campaign, the Round Retail vegan clothing pop-up fundraiser, the I AM NUT OK founder running the Hackney Half Marathon on behalf of Made In Hackney, and independent art space Karamel hosting a vegan musician showcase fundraiser for us. We continue to generate income from our collaboration with the Fuller’s pub company through sales of the Made In Hackney burger at participating venues. 3 Charity Registration Number: 1176690 ## Volunteers The invaluable support and contribution of volunteers was further demonstrated this year. They gave up their time to help with community meal preparation and delivery, assisting with classes at our cookery school and online, and providing outreach in the community. In addition, our volunteers support essential administration and fundraising activities. At the same time, volunteers have benefited from learning new skills, making a difference in their community, and improving their mental health through volunteering. This year: - 240 amazing volunteers supported us in delivering our work (2022/23: 320 volunteers) - 4,863 volunteer hours (2022/23: 6,646 volunteer hours) - We created 3,935 volunteer opportunities. (2022/23: 1,515 volunteer opportunities) - 25% of volunteers stay with Made In Hackney for over a year, with 57% of them volunteering 1-5 times and 20% 6-10 times. - 83% of volunteers felt more connected to their community, with 89% agreeing that they met people they wouldn’t normally meet. The trustees are hugely grateful to all of MIH’s volunteers for their time, skills and dedication. More information on how they support our charity can be found in the MIH Annual Impact Report. ## Public Benefit The trustees confirm that they have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit when reviewing the charity’s aims and objectives, and in implementing current and future activities. The trustees have considered this matter and concluded: - That the aims of the organisation continue to be charitable; - The aims and the work done give identifiable benefits to the charitable sector and both directly and indirectly to individuals in need; - That the benefits are for the public and not necessarily restricted in any way, and certainly not by ability to pay; and - There is no detriment or harm arising from the activities. ## Financial Review This trustees’ annual report and financial statements cover the 12 months ended 31st October 2024. MIH received £565,850 in income during the year (2022/23: £743,964), with £482,041 from grants and donations (2022/23: £624,320); £40,435 of trading income from in person classes (2022/23: £74,597); £33,222 of income from contracts (2022/23: £31,955); and £10,151 from other income (2022/23: £13,092). Income has decreased vs. the previous year by £178,114 (-24%). Income from grants in the financial year ending 31st October 2024 was £53,225 lower than the previous year, with the Fundraising Manager stepping down during the period. Income from donations was £75,648 lower than the previous year due to not running a Crowdfunding campaign. Income from contracts remained similar, increasing by £1,267, while income from trading activities decreased by £34,162, due to internal team changes affecting the number of Master classes and Corporate Team Building classes that could be run. During this period the charity had four key programmes – running a Community Cookery School and Community Meal Service, the Global Plant Kitchens initiative and Plant Prospects projects. MIH was focused on the following initiatives within these programmes: 4 Charity Registration Number: 1176690 ● Delivering the Global Plant Kitchens’ online training platform, toolkit and mentoring to support others to set up or grow a plant-based community cookery school ● Adapting the Community Meal service to ensure we were supporting low mobility individuals to cook, supported by volunteers from the community, to build community resilience. We took learnings from our previous batch cooking classes approach. ● Securing vital support from statutory funders, including Hackney Council, Public Health, and the National Lottery Community Fund, alongside trusts and foundations, corporate partners, and individual donors, to sustain our cookery classes and wider programming ● Securing a publisher and starting the development of a Made In Hackney Cookbook based on the wealth of plant-based cooking experience of the team and the founder, Sarah Bentley. ● Delivering educational cookery classes themed around joy, celebrating different cultures and helping to address various health conditions such as gut health and type 2 diabetes. Total expenditure amounted to £605,380 (2022/23: £758,369), resulting in net expenditure of £39,530 (2022/23: net expenditure £14,405) for the period. Of this, £63,392 is restricted and neutralised by a surplus of £23,862 in unrestricted funds (2022/23: -£46,109 restricted and £31,704 unrestricted). Total Funds Carried Forward at 31[st] October 2024 were £502,075, with £180,097 restricted and £321,978 unrestricted reserves (2022/23: £243,489 restricted and £298,116 unrestricted). The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern. This included giving due consideration to continued rising inflation, stagnant or falling real incomes, markedly slower growth in real household spending, as well as erosion of savings and the U.K. broad-based economic downturn on income and expenditure having a long-term effect on the charity. ## Reserve Policy The trustees have set a reserves policy whereby the free reserves (unrestricted funds after deducting tangible assets) held by MIH should be equivalent to six months’ core operating costs (which include Salaries & Wages, Premises Costs, Administrative & General / Office Costs as well IT, Digital & Telephone), £20,000 towards wrapping up committed activities, £20,000 to support innovation and development together with £10,000 to provide for prolonged staff sickness, which equates to £278,362 (as of 15 July 2024). This provides for some stability for the organisation were it to experience a fall in income from grants, fundraising and class sales, or a significant shock such as the pandemic. At the end of FY24 we were meeting our reserves policy at the time (£321,978 - unrestricted funds) with a small surplus. The trustees review the reserves policy annually, as well as the figures required to meet that policy. ## Going Concern The trustees have not identified any circumstances that would hinder the charity from meeting any of its financial obligations in the immediate future. The trustees are confident in the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern in the foreseeable future. ## Structure, Governance and Management Made In Hackney is a charity registered in England and Wales (1176690) regulated by the Charity Commission. Made In Hackney is governed by a Board of Trustees (8 individuals) who are responsible for determining the strategic direction and policies in conjunction with the core staff team. The board meets a minimum of four times a year to review the organisation’s activities and to track progress against strategic targets. The board has delegated the day-to-day running of the charity to the core staff team. The board is led by a Chair of Trustees, Clare Preedy. The board also includes a named Treasurer (Irina Nedashkovskaya Basile) and Secretariat (Sarah Biggs). Carla Garnelas is a safeguarding representative. Bianca Stewart is the risk lead and GDPR representative (although has been on maternity leave during the majority of this financial year). A “Resource and Remuneration” sub-committee continues to support the core staff team with Clare Preedy, Carla Garnelas 5 Charity Registration Number: 1176690 and Irina Nedashkovskaya Basile together with Rashmi Joshi (resigned June 2024) and Georgia Parry (appointed July 2024) as the MIH staff representative. Made In Hackney considers each of the trustees to be independent in character and judgement and understands that they have no relationships that are likely to affect, or could appear to affect, their judgements concerning the charity. Declarations of interest are required from new trustees upon appointment, and every board meeting requires that any new interests be declared. No remuneration is provided except for reasonable travel and subsistence costs. Trustees regularly review the progress of the charity and its funding. Trustees are responsible for setting the strategy for Made In Hackney and securing both the public benefit delivered through its outcomes and impact, as well as the sustainability of the charity. ## Recruitment of Trustees NCVO recommends trustees only sit on a board for as long as they are effective and this should be reviewed after a term of three years. The last full review was in December 2022 when 1 new trustee was recruited. The review process is continuing on a rolling basis. ## Risk Management Made In Hackney’s approach to risk management is proactive and integrated into day-to-day working. Risk management is a key strategic activity for the board. It is routinely woven into board meetings, committee meetings, and operational team meetings. Risks may arise from the environment in which Made In Hackney operates, whilst others may relate to the strengths and weaknesses of the charity and its operations at this point in its development. The major risks to the charity have been identified in a comprehensive risk register (governance, operational, financial, environmental) and management of this is monitored and reviewed by the Operations Director and risk lead trustee, with updates included as part of the board papers for discussion with the wider board. Risks are categorised as either strategic or operational risks. Risks are then assessed by their impact and likelihood, and the register also includes a summary of the mitigating actions and the risk owner to ensure clear lines of responsibility. There have been a number of changes to address organisational risks, including: - **Fundraising:** As the organisation grows and we seek to deliver against our strategic ambitions, it is crucial that we take an organisation-wide approach to fundraising. To that end, we have upskilled more members of the team to be able to confidently submit grant applications. - **Creating stability through change:** acknowledging the impact of employee turnover on the charity’s ability to meet its aims and objectives, the board have been working more closely to support the staff team as needed. - **New management structure:** The board hired for two new senior roles within the charity; Operations Director and Head of Fundraising. - **Risk management:** Made In Hackney refers to the Charity Commission guidance for its risk management policy. Some risks are mitigated by holding insurance, which is comprehensive. Insured risks include public and employers’ liability, professional indemnity and Trustees’ liability. ## Safeguarding The safety of participants is of paramount importance and the charity’s services and activities are developed to support the welfare and safety of children, young people and adults at risk of harm. Our safeguarding policies and procedures are reviewed annually by the core team and board of trustees and safeguarding issues are reported and monitored in line with these procedures. All staff, volunteers and trustees are DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checked and have regular training in safeguarding. The Operations Director is the Designated Safeguarding Lead for the organisation, reporting to the board’s lead trustee responsible for safeguarding. ## Equality, Diversity and Inclusion At Made In Hackney we celebrate our differences across our community of teachers, staff, board members, volunteers, participants, partners and friends. We strive to ensure that equality, diversity, inclusion, and equity are actively promoted in everything we do. 6 Charity Registration Number: 1176690 Creating a safe, supportive, and discrimination-free environment is one of our goals, as well as ensuring that individuals with inadequate access to physical, socioeconomic, and mental health outcomes and low levels of food knowledge have greater access to resources. To maximise our impact, we work collaboratively with the community to identify under-served groups. By continuously reviewing our practices and policies, we aim to empower and enable people to speak out when they encounter discrimination and act appropriately when addressing discriminatory behaviour. Our goal is to be forward-thinking in all aspects of equality, diversity, inclusion, and equity (EDIE). In August 2024 the staff team held a session on values and EDIE at Made In Hackney, ensuring these are lived in our day-to-day work. The associated action plan will be delivered in the following financial year. ## Staff As of 31st October 2024, Made In Hackney had a total of 13 staff on PAYE (2022/23: 12 staff members), as follows: ● 4 staff members on 5 days a week (2022/23: 1 staff member) ● 0 staff member on 4.5 days a week (2022/23: 1 staff member) ● 3 staff members on 4 days a week (2022/23: 5 staff members) ● 1 staff members on 3.5 days a week (2022/23: 0 staff member) ● 0 staff member on 3 days a week (2022/23: 1 staff member) ● 1 staff member on 2.5 days a week (2022/23: 1 staff member) ● 4 staff members on 2 days a week (2022/23: 3 staff members) During the year Georgia Parry joined full time as Operational Director in June 2024, and Noma Siwela joined full time as a Head of Development in July 2024. ## Future Plans As we look to 2025, Made In Hackney is committed to deepening our impact in key areas: health and wellbeing, environmental sustainability, and community empowerment. With a clear understanding of the challenges many communities face, including the ongoing effects of the cost-of-living crisis, we remain dedicated to tackling inequalities and expanding access to healthy, plant-based food for all. This year, our work will be guided by an ambitious new five-year strategy which will provide a roadmap for growth, with an emphasis on scaling our programmes and enhancing our community impact both locally and globally. Our new senior leadership team—with the appointment of Georgia Parry as Director of Operations and Noma Siwela as Head of Development—will play a central role in driving forward this strategic vision. The Executive Director role, to be appointed in 2025, will provide the oversight necessary to ensure that Made In Hackney continues to lead by example in the plant-based food space and sustainable community development. We remain committed to strengthening community ties and delivering our core programmes through the **community cookery school** , where we plan to expand our capacity and further diversify the classes offered. Building on the success of our culturally diverse, skills-specific, and health-focused courses, we will explore new venues and partnerships across London, with the aim of increasing accessibility and attracting participants from even more diverse backgrounds. **The Community Made meal service** will also see continued growth. This programme, which now empowers community members to directly contribute to meal production and distribution, will work toward expanding its reach to serve even more people in need. As we grow this service, we aim to ensure that no one in our community goes without access to nutritious, plant-based meals. In 2025, we will continue to build on the success of **Global Plant Kitchens** , which has already supported vegan food initiatives in 30 countries. By providing mentoring, resources, and a tailored toolkit, we have inspired a global network of changemakers. As we look ahead, we plan to scale this programme even further, with a goal of empowering thousands of organisations and communities worldwide to make the shift toward plant-based, sustainable food systems. 7 Charity Registration Number: 1176690 Our **Plant Prospects programme** , which has facilitated the adoption of plant-based offerings within businesses, schools, and healthcare organisations, will also grow in scope. This initiative will remain a cornerstone of our efforts to drive systemic change in food production, while also promoting health and sustainability in key sectors across the UK and beyond. As we move into 2025, we are more committed than ever to empowering individuals and communities to lead healthier, more sustainable lives. With the continued support of our dedicated staff, volunteers, donors, and partners, we are poised to make even greater strides in the coming year. Together, we can create a future where access to healthy, plant-based food is not a privilege but a right, and where sustainability is at the heart of every community. 8 Charity Registration Number: 1176690 ## Statement of Trustees’ responsibilities in relation to the financial statements Charity law requires the charity trustees to prepare financial statements for each accounting period which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity for the income and expenditure for the period. In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are required to: ● select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently; ● observe the methods and principles in the Charity SORP; - make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; ● state whether applicable UK accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; ● prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business. The charity trustees are responsible for preparing a trustees’ annual report and financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. The financial statements on the below pages were approved by the Board of Trustees on 14[th] August 2025 and signed on its behalf by: Clare Preedy (Chair) Irina Nedashkovskaya Basile (Treasurer) Trustee Trustee 9 Charity Registration Number: 1176690 ## **Made In Hackney** ## **Independent Examiner’s Report for the year ended 31 October 2024** I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31[st] October 2024 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, the Balance Sheet, the Cash Flow Statement and related notes. ## **Respective Responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner** The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Charities Act”) and that an independent examination is needed. The charity’s gross income exceeded £250,000 and I am qualified to undertake the examination by being a qualified member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. It is my responsibility to: - examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act, - to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act, and - to state whether particular matters have come to my attention ## **Basis of Independent Examiner’s Statement** My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair’ view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below. ## **Independent Examiner’s Statement** In connection with my examination, no material matters have come to my attention which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: - the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or - the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or - the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. ## **Olayinka Tomori ACA DChA** Date: 18/8/2025 **Longmeade Consult Ltd Springhead Road Northfleet Kent, DA11 8HN** 10 Charity Registration Number: 1176690 All activities are continuing. All gains and losses recognised in the year are included above. The accompanying accounting policies and notes form an integral part of these financial statements. Full comparative figures for the year ended 31 October 2023 are shown in note 17. 11 Charity Registration Number: 1176690 **Made in Hackney Balance Sheet As at 31 Oct 2024** ||**Restricted Unrestricted Endowment**
**Total 2024**||**Total 2023**| |---|---|---|---| |**Notes**|**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**||**£**| |**Fixed Asset**|||| |Tangible Assets|21,284 0
21,284||38,962| |**12**
**Total Assets**|**21,284 0 - 21,284**||**38,962**| |**Current Asset**
**13**
Cash at bank and in hand
**14**
Debtors|166,932 325,503
492,435
11,999 12,802
24,801||494,441
30,916| |**Total Current Assets (Net**
**Current Assets)**|**178,931 338,305 - 517,236**||**525,357**| |**15**
**Current Liabilities**
Creditors amounts falling due
within one year|20,118 16,327
36,445||22,714| |**Total Current Liabilities**|**20,118 16,327 - 36,445**||**22,714**| ||||| |**Net Current Assets**|**158,813 321,978 - 480,791**||**502,643**| ||||| |**Total Net Assets**|**180,097 321,978 - 502,075**||**541,605**| |**Charity Funds:**
Endowment Funds
Restricted Funds|- - - -
180,097 - - 180,097||-
243,489| |Unrestricted Funds|- 321,978 - 321,978||298,116| |**Total Charity Funds**|**180,097 321,978 - 502,075**||**541,605**| ||||| Approved by the Trustees on 14th August 2024 and signed on their behalf by: Clare Preedy (Chair) Irina Nedashkovskaya Basile (Treasurer) Trustee Trustee The accompanying accounting policies and notes form an integral part of these financial statements. 12 Chanty RegistralK)n Number= 1176690 Made in Hackney statement of Cash Flows For the Year Ended 31 Oet 2024 Total 21Y24 Total 2024 Total 2023 Total 3Y23 Cash Flows from Operatlng ActIvI￿e$ Net Cash Provided by Operating Activitio 4P38 8,913 Cash Flows frorn Investing Acti¥ities Interest Received 2.032 1.652 Purchase of a Tangible FIKe4 Ilssei Not Cash in Investing Activits"es Cash Flows from Financing Activities Net Cash from FIn￿cIng Adivities Change in Cash and Cash Equivalent in the reportlng porlod 7,C61 Change In Cash and Cash EquNaleni ai the teginning of the reporting penod 494.441 501,502 Change in Cash and Cash Equivalent at the End of thè reportlng perlod 4￿.435 494 441 Note.. Cash Flows from Operatlng A¢t1vI￿e$ Net Income (Lossl lor Ihe year Adjuslm8nts for Depr8ciatson Charg8d Interest Received 39.530 14.405 17,678 2.032 6.115 13.731 17,678 1.852 6.929 Decrease Ilncieasel in Dobtots Increase (Decrease) In Creditors Docrease Ilncreasel In DoTrated Assets Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities 4.038 8.913 13 Charity Registration Number: 1176690 ## **Made In Hackney** ## **Notes to the Financial Statements** ## 1. Accounting Policies ## **1.1 Charity Information** The principal accounting policies have been applied consistently in dealing with items which are considered material in relation to Made In Hackney’s Financial Statements. Made In Hackney is a registered charity in England and Wales and is a public benefit entity. Made In Hackney’s registered office and operational address is: Liberty Hall, 128 Clapton Common, Spring Hill, Clapton, LONDON E5 9AA. ## **1.2 Basis for Preparation of Accounts** The accounts (financial statements) have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS102) applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with FRS102 the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (Second Edition effective 1 January 2019) and UK Generally Accepted Practice. At the time of approving the financial statements, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus, the trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements. ## **1.3 Charitable Funds** Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives. Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used. ## **1.4 Income** Income is recognised and included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) when the charity becomes entitled to the income, receipt is probable and the monetary value can be measured with sufficient reliability. **Grant income:** Grants are credited to the SOFA when the charity is entitled to the funds. Income is only deferred where there are time constraints imposed by the donor or if the funding is performance related. Grants that have specific restrictions placed upon are credited to restricted income within the SOFA on an entitlement basis. Unspent balances are carried forward within the relevant restricted fund. **Donations:** Individual donations are recognised in the period in which they are received. Fundraising events income is included in donation and legacies income as the funds received are by nature donations rather than funds paid to gain a benefit. Event income to which the charity has a legal entitlement and that is being held by a third-party agent is recognised on a receivable basis. **Donated Goods / Services:** facilities and services donated for the charity’s use, where the benefit is quantifiable and the goods or services would otherwise have had to be purchased, are recognised in the Financial Statements, as both income and expenditure, at a reasonable estimate of their value in the period in which they are donated. **Contracts:** Contracts are credited to restricted income within the SOFA on an entitlement basis. Unspent balances are carried forward within the relevant restricted fund. **Cookery Classes:** Income from classes is recognised when they are invoiced, income from vouchers is recognised on purchase date and the income that is being held by a third-party agent is recognised on a receivable basis. **Online Classes:** Income from online classes is recognised when they are invoiced, income from vouchers on purchase date and the income that is being held by a third-party agent is recognised on a receivable basis. 14 Charity Registration Number: 1176690 ## **Made In Hackney** ## **Notes to the Financial Statements (Continued)** ## **1.4 Expenditure** Expenditure is recognised in the period in which it is incurred on an accruals basis. Resources expended are recognised in the period in which they are incurred. Resources expended are allocated to the particular activity where the cost relates directly to that activity. Certain costs, which are attributable to more than one activity, are apportioned across cost categories on the basis of an estimate of the proportion of time spent by personnel on those activities. ## **1.5 Taxation** Charity is VAT registered and adopts a Fixed Rate Scheme, set at 7.5%. The charity charges 20% to their trading customers. ## **1.6 Fixed Assets** Tangible assets are capitalised if they can be used for more than one year, and cost at least £400.They are valued at cost or, if gifted, at their value on receipt. Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write down the cost of each asset to its estimated residual value over its expected useful life. Assets are depreciated on straight-line basis. The depreciation rates in use are as follows: |Donated Assets:|5 years| |---|---| |Fixtures and Fittings:|5 years| |Computer Hardware:|5 years| |Fixtures and Fitting of New Kitchen:|5 years| |Equipment:|5 years| Assets are reviewed for impairment if circumstances indicate their carrying value may exceed their net realisable value and value in use. ## **1.7 Cash at Bank and in Hand** Cash at bank and in hand is held to meet short-term cash commitments as they fall due rather than for investment purposes. ## **1.8 Debtors** Debtors and other receivables are recognised initially at the transaction price. They are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method, less provision for impairment. A provision for the impairment is established when there is objective evidence that the charity will not be able to collect all amounts due according to the original terms of the receivables. ## **1.9 Creditors** Creditors are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors are normally recognised at their settlement amount, usually the invoice amount. ## **1.10 Pension** Made In Hackney operates a defined contribution scheme through NEST. Contributions are charged to the SOFA as they become payable. ## **1.11 Staff Costs** No Employees earned more than £60,000. 15 Charity Registration Number: 1176690 ## **Made In Hackney** ## **Notes to the Financial Statements (Continued)** 16 Charity Registration Number: 1176690 ## **Made In Hackney** ## **Notes to the Financial Statements (Continued)** Donated Items include ingredients for the Meal Service, Raffle Prizes and a Fundraising Training Course. 17 Charity Registration Number: 1176690 ## **Made In Hackney** ## **Notes to the Financial Statements (Continued)** **----- Start of picture text -----**
Analysis of Expenses
Expenditure on raising donations and
Restricted Unrestricted Endowments Total 2024 Total 2023
7 legacies
£ £ £ £ £
Direct Costs - 8,051 - 8,051 9,916
Staff Costs - 51,653 - 51,653 42,013
Support Costs - 613 - 613 5,982
Total to October 2024 - 60,317 - 60,317
Total to October 2023 - 57,911 - 57,911
8 Expenditure on charitiable activities Restricted Unrestricted Endowments Total 2024 Total 2023
£ £ £ £ £
From Meal Service:
Direct Costs 48,870 - - 48,870 107,254
Depreciation and Amortisation 1,157 - - 1,157 1,158
Staff Costs 28,224 - - 28,224 65,482
Support Costs 1,422 - - 1,422 16,894
Sub Total 79,673 - - 79,673 190,788
From Main Charitable Activities:
Direct Costs 95,180 - - 95,180 113,545
Depreciation and Amortisation 16,321 - - 16,321 16,320
Staff Costs 139,637 - - 139,637 173,159
Support Costs 49,482 - - 49,482 54,707
Sub Total 300,620 - - 300,620 357,731
Total to October 2024 380,293 - - 380,293
Total to October 2023 548,519 - - 548,519
Independent Examiner fee for the year was £1,400 (2023: £1,350)
9 Restricted Unrestricted Endowments Total 2024 Total 2023
Expenditure on contracts
£ £ £ £ £
Direct Costs 8,298 - - 8,298 21,142
Staff Costs 55,956 - - 55,956 4,657
Support Costs - - - - 355
Total to October 2024 64,254 - - 64,254
Total to October 2023 26,154 - - 26,154
**----- End of picture text -----**
18 Charity Registration Number: 1176690 ## **Made In Hackney** ## **Notes to the Financial Statements (Continued)** 19 Charity Registration Number: 1176690 ## **Made In Hackney** ## **Notes to the Financial Statements (Continued)** |**Notes to the Financial Statements(Continued)**|| |---|---| |**12 Fixed Assets**
**Donated**
**Assets**
**Fixtures**
**and Fittings**
**Computer**
**Hardware**
**Equipment**
**Costs**
**New**
**Premises**|| ||**Total 2024**| |**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**|**£**| |**Costs**
At 1 Nov 2023
18,396
998
2,246
5,790
60,960
Additions
-
-
-
-
-|88,390
-| |**At 31 Oct 2024**
**18,396 998 2,246 5,790 60,960**|**88,390**| |**Accumulated**
At 1 Nov 2023
11,038
798
1,108
1,158
35,326
Additions / Disposals
3,679
200
449
1,158
12,192|49,428
17,678| |**At 31 Oct 2024**
**14,717 998 1,557 2,316 47,518**|**67,106**| |**NBV**
At 31 Oct 2023
7,358
200
1,138
4,632
25,634|38,962| |**At 31 Oct 2024**
**3,679 - 689 3,474 13,442**|**21,284**| 20 Charity Registration Number: 1176690 ## **Made In Hackney** ## **Notes to the Financial Statements (Continued)** 21 Charity Registration Number: 1176690 ## **Made In Hackney** ## **Notes to the Financial Statements (Continued)** Restricted Income received were for: Karuna Foundation: To support new community kitchens through our Global Plant Kitchens and our Plant Prospects Project programme. L&Q Foundation: To carry out 30 cookery sessions for 12-18 year olds. Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation UK: Towards core costs of Made In Hackney. The Worshipful Company of Insurers: Towards costs of Made In Hackney. City Bridge Trust: Towards intergenerational cookery classes and courses. National Lottery Community Fund: Towards cost of living support for the community through provision of free meals. Garfield Weston Foundation: Towards the cost of our cookery class programme over 12 months. Support & Feed: Towards the provision of free vegan meals to the community. London Borough of Hackney VCS Grants: Towards the cost of cookery classes and courses for carers. The Big Give Trust: Towards cost of living support for the community through provision of free meals. London Borough of Hackney (Public Health) are for local Hackney community classes. Generation Foundation: Provided funds towards our core support costs 22 Charity Registration Number: 1176690 ## **Made In Hackney** ## **Notes to the Financial Statements (Continued)** Esmee Fairbalm Foundation: Provided funds to pilot a national mentoring and influencing scheme. Greenbaum Foundation: Towards our Global Plant Kitchen project. The Veg Trust: Towards our Plant Prospects project. Crowdfunding: The funds are used to run our Community Meal Service. Mr Organic: Funds given towards the production of Made In Hackney Cookbook Clearspring: Funds given towards the production of Made In Hackney Cookbook Viridian Nutrition: Funds given towards the production of Made In Hackney Cookbook 23