The Feed social enterprise project has launched a stall at Norwich market, supporting vulnerable people living in the city.
A social enterprise based in Norwich is offering shoppers the chance to sink their teeth into some pretty darn delicious snacks – all while raising money and awareness for the good it does in the city.
Norwich LEAP, which supports and empowers vulnerable people via funding from its catering arm The Feed, and training through The Flourish Employment Academy, launched The Feed market stall recently, with all profits being ploughed back into its endeavours.
To fund the stall (where graduates the Flourish programme can gain vital work experience) Georgina Finn, enterprise and employment officer at Norwich LEAP explained: "We launched crowd funding to raise £20,000 and beat that, raising £21,000 – we had lots of support in Norwich. We wanted Feed to have a permanent place in Norwich and the money went into kitting out the stall. It was an empty shell, but now it's filled and up and running. People can go through the training programme and then work on the stall where we sell a variety of Cuban-style sandwiches and fresh, seasonal salads, cake and coffee. All the money goes back into supporting more people. This is feel-good food, full of meaning."
The majority of ingredients used on the stall are local, including the sausagemeat for the popular sausage rolls, which is sourced from award-winning Coxfords Butchers in Aylsham.
“In the morning they also have freshly baked pastries and you can fill a pastry for 50p with meat, or different types of cheeses, or tomatoes that have been drenched in extra virgin olive oil and herbs.”
One of the stall's hottest products is the Big Reuben sandwich (or 'manwich’ as some have described it) which is piled high with pastrami, sauerkraut, gherkins, cheddar, mustard, mayo and rocket.
The Norfolk New Yorker pairs Norfolk pastrami with Colman’s Mustard, cheddar and rocket. And veggies are well catered for with choices such as the Roasted Veggie (marinated roasted aubergine, courgette and shallots with chickpea hummus) and a sandwich of marinated mushrooms, feta, rocket and pesto.
"There are amazing Bakewell tarts," continued Georgina. “They’re quite big and delicious. And there’s a really good, healthy granola packed with apricots and coconut. And for a naughty treat you can have the rocky road, which is gooey with chocolate and marshmallows.”
Special diets can be catered for and everything, where possible, is homemade.
As an added bonus, the stall has recently partnered with Kettle Foods, giving free bags of Kettle Chips away with meal deals.
What is the Flourish Employment Academy?
Funded by The Feed, which provides catering for events and weddings and much much more, the academy is the beating heart of LEAP, and runs its own programme to support people who may be homeless, recovering from substance abuse, have issues with self-esteem or other problems in their lives.
Designed to help them into the world of employment, the 12-week Flourish programme combines learning catering and hospitality skills, with one-to-one coaching, personal development and work experience.
"We are seeing great results," said Georgina of the academy. “Some people aren't even finishing the course because, having experienced being in the kitchen, they are being offered employment and ultimately that’s our end goal.”
Find out more about Norwich Leap here and if you’re interested in hiring The Feed to cater for your event read more here.
The above article by Charlotte Smith-Jarvis first published on edp24.co.uk in May, 2017.
