Cooking Up Community: A Day of Purpose, People and Plenty of Heart

There’s something about being in a kitchen together that strips things back to what really matters. Aprons on, sleeves rolled up, hands busy - conversation flows more easily, laughter comes quicker, and purpose feels tangible.

Last week, our Mako Graduates Cohort 2025 experienced exactly that as they took part in a volunteering day with FoodCycle, one of the charities supported through The Mako Foundation's recent Dealing for Donations Day. With food security and hunger relief as our charity focus for the year, the day couldn’t have been more fitting - or more meaningful.

Turning surplus into something special

The challenge was simple but powerful: using only surplus food, create a three-course meal for 20 members of the local community in Clapham.
Working side by side, the team got to work.

Starters took shape first - golden pancakes served with hummus, roasted vegetables and a fresh side salad.
For mains, trays of vegetarian aubergine parmigiana were layered, grilled and plated with care.
And for dessert, a beautifully festive Christmas fruit crumble came together - proof that surplus ingredients can still create something comforting, celebratory and full of joy.

Every decision in the kitchen carried intention: to waste less, nourish more, and cook food that felt generous and thoughtful.

Moments that made the day

The photos from the day capture the spirit perfectly. Concentrated faces as aubergines were turned on the grill. Quiet pride as pancakes stacked higher on plates. Fruit being chopped, mixed and transformed into a crumble that felt unmistakably festive.

What stands out most is the sense of togetherness - graduates learning from one another, supported by colleagues, all moving at the same pace with a shared goal. Festive headbands peeked out from under hair nets, smiles grew as dishes came together, and by the end of the session the kitchen felt less like a workspace and more like a community.

The final group photo says it all: tired but happy, united by purpose, and proud of what had been created together.

Here's what Frankie from FoodCycle had to say:

Extending the impact beyond the kitchen

Once prepared, the meals were carefully packaged and delivered to Ace of Clubs in Clapham, a community centre supporting people facing homelessness and food poverty. The meals were shared the following day - extending the care and effort of the session far beyond the walls of the kitchen.

In just one volunteering day, the team:
-> Prepared 20 nutritious meals
-> Saved 67kg of food from going to waste
-> Packed 60 takeaway containers with nourishing food
-> Donated 44 hours of volunteering time

At a time when the cost-of-living crisis continues to affect so many, FoodCycle’s services are more vital than ever. Their work tackles food poverty and food waste while also addressing loneliness, creating welcoming spaces where people can eat together and connect.

Why FoodCycle’s work matters

FoodCycle’s vision is to make food poverty, loneliness and food waste a thing of the past.

By working with surplus food and volunteers across the UK, they:
- Provide nutritious meals to people who need them most;
- Promote sustainable, healthy attitudes to food;
- Create inclusive spaces that support mental health and wellbeing; and
- Strengthen communities through food and conversation.

Our volunteering day supported not just one project in Clapham, but FoodCycle’s wider national mission - helping to nourish communities right across the country.

Thank you team

We are incredibly proud of everyone who took part in the day. This was a true team effort - graduates, colleagues and supporters coming together with openness, enthusiasm and generosity of spirit.

Days like this remind us that impact doesn’t always come from grand gestures. Sometimes it comes from chopping vegetables side by side, sharing a laugh over a mixing bowl, and choosing to give your time to others.

Feeling inspired?

If this story has sparked something for you, FoodCycle is always looking for volunteers - whether you love cooking, hosting, or simply being part of a community.  

-> https://volunteer.foodcycle.org.uk/

As we head into the festive season, we’re reminded that when people come together with care and purpose, even surplus ingredients can create something truly magical.