News / KNowle West
The community kitchen changing lives through food
A community kitchen in south Bristol has been quietly improving the lives of local people for decades.
Knowle West Health Association (KWHA) has been operating for more than 25 years and is based on Filwood Broadway, the local high street in Knowle West.
As well as running a community kitchen, the charity also offers free counselling sessions to local residents and provides a friendship club for the elderly.
is needed now More than ever
With a recent £5,000 grant from the Bristol Food Fund, the kitchen is able to operate for another year, but KWHA is hoping for more funding to secure its long-term future.
Sarah Scott is hoping to raise more funds for Knowle West Health Association so it can do more for the community – photo: Charlie Watts
“Filwood is known as a food desert – there isn’t access to cheap and healthy food, there isn’t a supermarket,” says KWHA’s community kitchen tutor and fundraiser, Sarah Scott.
“We’re in the hub of the community and we just aim to provide a warm space for members of the community to educate themselves around food and help their budgets stretch further.
“We cook good-value, healthy meals, and nutrition is an ongoing discussion through the sessions as well.”
During the pandemic, the charity provided around 5,000 meals to local families in need – photo: Knowle West Health Association
The Health Association currently runs four cookery classes, for people with learning disabilities; women; over-50s; and a group of children from the local Ilminster Avenue E-ACT Academy.
Rising High, a men’s baking group, has also recently started using the kitchen, having previously been based at Filwood Community Centre.
Pat Chant, who runs the group, says: “Anyone with any mental health issues is welcome to come along, have a chat and make some bread. That’s what we’re all about – giving people a bit of stability.”
Knowle resident Pat Chant runs men’s baking group Rising High at the Health Association – photo: Charlie Watts
Earlier in 2023, the Health Association received a £4,000 grant from St George-based company Brandwells Construction to fund vital kitchen repairs.
But Sarah admits funding has been a “real struggle” for the charity, with it having to close its community allotment – which is now run by another organisation – at the end of 2021.
She adds: “We would love to do more, but funding has been a real issue for us. We’ve had to scale back our output while we try to raise some funds to get back to full capacity.
“We’re only running on two staff members at the moment, but we’re small but mighty, we do a lot with the limited resources we got. We’ve had a few grants come in but we need some more.”
Anyone who would like to get involved with KWHA should email sarah@knowlewesthealthassoc.org.uk or call 0117 9639569.
Charlie Watts is reporting on Knowle West as part of Bristol24/7’s community reporter scheme, a project which aims to tell stories from areas of Bristol traditionally under-served by the mainstream media
Main photo: Charlie Watts
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