News / Bristol Charity Advent Calendar 2023
Bristol charity advent calendar 2023, day 12: Migrateful
The mission of Migrateful is “to bridge divides through the uniting power of food” by bringing people together from different backgrounds in a kitchen.
Founded in 2017, the social enterprise works to give migrants, including asylum seekers and refugees, a space in which to share their cooking and culture and to gain new meaningful skills.
The classes provide income and opportunities that are often inaccessible to migrants who encounter legal barriers and a lack of support from the government.
is needed now More than ever
A Sudanese cooking class run by Negla Abdul Hadi in Easton – photo: Betty Woolerton
Jess Thompson, who grew up in Redland, founded Migrateful after being inspired by conversations with a group of refugee women at an east London skill exchange project.
“The women in the group were all very qualified, yet were unemployed because of language barriers and their qualifications not being recognised in the UK,” the 31-year-old explained. “But when asked about the skills they could share with the group, many of them said they could cook.”
Speaking about the impact of the classes, Thompson added: “Stereotypes are challenged: the migrant is leading the class, everyone is cooperating (sharing tasks in preparing the meal, which is then eaten together) and the intimate setting enables personal stories to emerge.”
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Migrateful runs cooking classes in London, Brighton and Bristol, each costing around £50 and culminating in a shared meal. In our city, there are regular classes at Coexist Community Kitchen and St Werburgh’s Community Centre – with cuisines spanning from Sri Lankan to Syrian and Nigerian.
The enterprise is currently fundraising to support its chef training and support programme which provides training, employment and “a nurturing community to refugees and migrants experiencing multiple disadvantages”.
To donate, visit www.avivacommunityfund.co.uk/p/migrateful-chef-training
To book a class, visit www.migrateful.org/classes
Main photo: Migrateful
Read next:
- Bristol Charity Advent Calendar, day 11: The Mazi Project
- Bristol Charity Advent Calendar, day 10: Share Bristol
- Bristol Charity Advent Calendar, day 9: Re:work
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