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In collaboration with Waltham Forest Food Networks.
Dear Community,
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First and foremost, I want to personally thank each and every one of you for your unwavering support over the past four years. Thanks to you, The Farm Community Kitchen CIC has proudly served over 300,000 meals to those in need. Whether you’ve volunteered your time, donated to our non-profit social enterprise, or simply dropped by for a cuppa and one of our famous sausage rolls, your contribution has made a lasting impact. For that, we owe you a HUGE THANK YOU.
Sadly, it is with a heavy heart that we announce we are being forced to close our doors. The challenges we’ve been facing with our landlord have made it impossible to secure a long-term tenancy, and as a result, we can no longer continue to operate effectively. Since May 2023, we’ve been surviving on a temporary month-by-month tenancy, which has severely limited our ability to plan for the future, run our projects at full capacity, and secure essential funding.
Without the security of a long-term lease, we haven’t been able to sign new contracts with suppliers or accept bookings more than 28 days in advance. This has also disqualified us from applying for critical community projects that require at least a three-month commitment – projects that could have provided the support we need to thrive. Unfortunately, time and again, our attempts to negotiate a more stable agreement have fallen on deaf ears.
The property we operate from is in desperate need of updates and renovations. Despite our efforts to request improvements that would bring the building up to safety standards – including a fire exit for the kitchen – these necessary upgrades have been repeatedly refused by the landlord. This has further jeopardised the safety and sustainability of our operations.
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​We also sincerely apologise for our recent closures, particularly during the peak summer holidays. The landlord’s family member, who resides above the café, has been continuously harassing us and, in some cases, our vulnerable volunteers and service users have felt threatened by this behaviour. It is our responsibility to protect everyone who enters our doors, and this situation has become intolerable.
As a Community Interest Company serving the local area, we are deeply disappointed that a family with strong political connections – including active Labour MP Dawn Butler, celebrated with a plaque on this very building – has treated us so poorly. Their actions have directly led to our impending closure and the disruption of our services to the community.
Our closure will be a great loss, and it has already impacted our sales significantly. But we refuse to give up without a fight. We ask for your continued support in helping us get back on our feet. If you believe in our mission and the work we do for this community, please help us by following, liking, and sharing our social media platforms.
We also kindly ask for any donations you can spare to help us fundraise, so we can continue providing meals and services to the thousands of people who rely on us. Here’s the link to donate.
If you would like to write to Calvin Bailey MP or Dawn Butler MP we have a template letter accessible here: Letter to a Member of Parliament.
calvin.bailey.mp@parliament.uk
We will keep you updated on any developments, and we hope to find a path that allows us to continue serving this incredible community for many more years to come.
Thank you for everything.
With gratitude,
Caz & The Farm Community Kitchen CIC Team
Get involved
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Donations of food are always welcome; check Instagram for info
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Our volunteers are cook and deliver hundreds of meals every week
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See Google Maps for most up to date times
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We're a Community Interest Company - when you buy from us, you make a difference.
Our mission
Is to feed people in Waltham Forest and the surrounding area who struggle to feed themselves and their families by creating and running The Farm - a community cafe on Cann Hall Road. As well as providing low-cost, freshly prepared food, the cafe will eventually function as a local employer and centre of advocacy for local issues.