Cambridge Community Kitchen
 | |
| Abbreviation | CCK |
|---|---|
| Formation | November 2020 |
| Headquarters | The Lockon, 11-12 Fair Street, Cambridge, UK |
| Coordinates | 52°12′27″N 0°07′46″E / 52.207362°N 0.129446°E |
| Website | https://cckitchen.uk/ |
Cambridge Community Kitchen (CCK) is a collective that provides free hot vegan meals several times a week in Cambridge. Meals are packaged and collected at the kitchen or delivered by volunteers by bike or car.[1]
The group is not a charity, wishing to avoid the Lobbying Act that restricts party-political statements from charities in election seasons and the paperwork required to gain the legal status. Instead, the non-hierarchical organisation views its work as mutual aid.[2] Many, though not all, volunteers view themselves as anarchists and many are activists, including one of the original squatters who had previously been involved with Extinction Rebellion. Another of the founding squatters had previously volunteered at the Calais Refugee Community Kitchen.[3][4][1]
History
[edit]The kitchen is based in an old pub, The Hopbine, which closed in February 2019. Six months after the pub closing, in July 2020, and with the ongoing COVID pandemic, the site was squatted by a group of 10 to form "The LockOn".[3] Four months after being squatted, in November 2020, Cambridge Community Kitchen started distributing food to locals.[1] Meals continued to be served, including on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day.[5]
In Feburary 2021, Cambridge City Mayor, Cllr Russ McPherson, awarded the organisation with a "Volunteer of Cambridge" certificate, intending to highlight people who supported the city throughout the pandemic. One member said "We're like, 'Thanks for your printed out certificate. We're literally doing your job for you.' [Laughs.] Maybe you could, I don't know, give us some money, at least do the thing of feeding people?".[6] During this period over 100 volunteers worked in "bubbled" teams and altered the service to be "contact free".[7][1]
In August 2022 CCK delivered around 270 meals across the city, two times a week.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "Cambridge Community Kitchen: Free Meals for Those in Need". Smiley Movement. 11 October 2021. Archived from the original on 25 June 2025. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
- ^ Gillott, Hannah; Olsson, Erik. "Working at the Cambridge Community Kitchen: the town/gown divide 'isn't actually funny'". Varsity Online. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
- ^ a b Luxon, Debbie (24 August 2020). "We spoke to the squatters making a former Cambridge pub their home". Cambridgeshire Live. Archived from the original on 25 June 2025. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
- ^ Hough, Søren (26 August 2022). "Light in a Dark Space: Interview with The Lockon Cambridge Squat". The Commoner. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
- ^ Luxon, Debbie (23 December 2020). "Cambs heroes who will be feeding the county this Christmas". Cambridgeshire Live. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
- ^ Hough, Søren (24 September 2022). "Neighbours are the Best Barricades: Interview with Cambridge Community Kitchen". The Commoner. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
- ^ Luxon, Debbie (18 February 2021). "Hopbine squat receives award for new community kitchen". Cambridgeshire Live. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
- ^ Findlay, Cait (13 August 2022). "Cambridge Community Kitchen volunteers say it should be 'a stop-gap'". Cambridgeshire Live. Retrieved 25 June 2025.