Podcast Summary
Exploring LinkedIn's Hidden Talent and Discovering Quality Products: LinkedIn is a valuable platform for finding hidden talent, Boll and Branch offers high-quality organic cotton sheets, and initiatives like the Doctor's Kitchen podcast and Made in Hackney promote food, health, and community.
LinkedIn is a valuable resource for hiring professionals, as over 70% of its users don't visit other leading job sites. This means that businesses who don't use LinkedIn for job postings could miss out on potential candidates like Sandra, who might not be actively looking for a new job but could be open to the perfect role. Meanwhile, Boll and Branch offers organic cotton sheets that get softer with every wash, ensuring a comfortable and high-quality sleep experience for years to come. The company's 30-night guarantee and 15% discount code "buttery" make it an attractive option for those seeking better bedding. Furthermore, the Doctor's Kitchen podcast and Made in Hackney organization are inspiring initiatives focused on food, health, and community. The school's mission is to inspire people to grow, cook, and eat more plants, and it delivers cookery and food growing classes both in-person and online. During the pandemic, they also started providing free nutritious meals to households in need, and they're currently crowdfunding to support this service for another year. Overall, LinkedIn is an essential platform for finding hidden talent, Boll and Branch offers top-notch organic cotton sheets, and the Doctor's Kitchen podcast and Made in Hackney are inspiring organizations that promote food, health, and community.
Staying Healthy During Winter: Mindful of Germs and Viruses: Maintain good hygiene practices, especially during winter, to prevent the spread of germs and viruses. Consider volunteering or building a career in health and well-being through organizations like Made in Hackney.
During the winter months, it's essential to be mindful of germs and viruses by washing hands frequently and avoiding touching the face as much as possible, as entry points for viruses aren't just through the nose or mouth but also through surface membranes. Rupi shared her personal experience of contracting a severe bug during a particularly intense cold winter, which affected many people, including children, due to limited exposure. She emphasized the importance of maintaining good hygiene practices during this season. Additionally, Rupi discussed her journey with Made in Hackney, starting as a volunteer and eventually building a career in health and well-being. Initially, people might have assumed Made in Hackney was a soup kitchen or feeding service, but it was actually a community cookery school focused on sharing skills, celebrating plant-based cuisine, and getting people to grow, cook, and eat more plants.
Community Kitchens: Bringing People Together Through Food: Community kitchens foster inclusivity and social justice by bringing together diverse groups and promoting vegan cooking and health benefits
Community kitchens are inclusive spaces that bring together people from various backgrounds and professions, including architects, GPs, and those in temporary accommodation, as well as local community members. The concept of community kitchens has evolved in the last few years to include food support services. The speaker, who started as a reggae journalist, discovered the importance of social justice and cultural understanding through her experiences in Jamaica and reggae music. Her early vegetarianism led her to explore ITau Cuisine, which is vegan and cooked without salt, and she felt great health benefits from it. This experience inspired her to learn cooking and promote vegan food, leading her to broaden her focus to environmental and social justice issues. The speaker's background in journalism, reggae music, and her personal experiences influenced her to create a welcoming and inclusive space through community kitchens.
A vegan lifestyle inspired by the ITIL food community and Vandana Shiva: A speaker's encounter with the ITIL food community and Vandana Shiva led her to establish a charity promoting food justice and empowerment through culturally appropriate and celebratory methods.
The ITIL food community played a significant role in inspiring a speaker to adopt a vegan lifestyle due to its delicious taste and healing properties, particularly for her IBS condition. This life-changing conversation with Indian activist Vandana Shiva further solidified her dedication to food justice and food empowerment, leading her to establish Made in Hackney, a charity focused on collaborating with people to change their diets in culturally appropriate and celebratory ways. The origin story of Made in Hackney came about fortuitously during a permaculture course, marking the beginning of her transition from freelance journalism to more tangible work in food and environmental issues.
From chance encounter to successful grant application: Naive optimism and thoroughness led to a successful grant application, demonstrating the importance of a clear vision and adaptability
Sometimes, luck and opportunity can play a significant role in bringing ideas to life. The speaker's journey with Made in Hackney began with a chance encounter and naive optimism, leading to the successful application for a large grant to create a community kitchen and cookery school. The vision for the organization remained consistent over time, aiming to inspire people to eat more plants for the benefit of personal health, the environment, and social justice. Despite initial uncertainty and a lack of experience, the thoroughness and reflection of community needs in the application ultimately contributed to its success. While a five-year plan may seem daunting, it's essential to have a clear vision and adapt as circumstances change.
Addressing food deserts through structural racism solutions: Made in Hackney tackles food deserts by offering plant-based meals and education, promoting joyful cooking, and empowering individuals to improve health.
The issue of food deserts is not an accident but a result of structural racism, and Made in Hackney aims to address this intersectionally by providing access to healthy, plant-based meals and education. The project's impact is multifaceted, as it helps individuals heal their relationship with food, learn to cook for dietary restrictions, and even cure health conditions like type 2 diabetes through dietary changes. Made in Hackney's approach is unique because it emphasizes the joy and fun of cooking and eating, rather than deprivation or restriction. The organization's impact is difficult to quantify scientifically, but the testimonies of those who have benefited from their classes speak volumes. By providing a welcoming and inclusive space for people to learn and cook, Made in Hackney empowers individuals to take control of their health journeys. The organization's approach stands in stark contrast to the traditional medical approach, which often focuses on what not to eat rather than what to eat, leaving people feeling deprived and unmotivated to make lasting changes.
Running a cooking school for better health and sustainability: Starting a cooking school can help people improve their health beyond diet advice, face resistance with a positive attitude, and promote plant-based meals for better health and sustainability.
Running a cooking school provides a unique opportunity to help people take their health journey to the next level, beyond just telling them what to eat. This is particularly important in today's world where healthcare professionals often struggle to convey complex health information and motivate people to make necessary lifestyle changes. Community kitchens like these are not just a nice-to-have, but a necessity. When starting out, there was initial resistance from some health professionals due to misconceptions about plant-based diets. However, it's important to remember that everyone comes from different perspectives and backgrounds, and it's crucial to maintain a shared vision while respecting individual choices. The long-term goal is to promote more plant-based meals for better health and sustainability. Despite facing challenges and pushback, staying focused on the mission and maintaining a positive attitude can help win hearts, minds, and stomachs.
Approaching plant-based eating with respect and understanding: Building relationships and receiving referrals by respecting people's backgrounds and experiences in promoting plant-based eating, and providing diverse and authentic options, can lead to successful outcomes.
Approaching the promotion of plant-based eating with respect and understanding, rather than judgment and lecturing, can lead to positive outcomes. This was evident in the speaker's experience, where despite initial pushback, they were able to build relationships and receive referrals from healthcare professionals. This approach is particularly important when dealing with the emotional and culturally significant topic of food. By respecting people's backgrounds and experiences, and providing diverse and authentic plant-based options, it becomes easier for individuals to make the transition towards plant-based eating. The speaker's organization, Made in Hackney, has successfully implemented this approach, leading to successful programs and positive feedback from participants. Ultimately, it's about meeting people where they are and building a bridge towards a healthier, more sustainable way of eating.
Empowering learning and community engagement: Cookery schools can tailor programs to address unique challenges and create supportive environments for healthy learning and growth.
Effective learning and community engagement are interconnected and empowering. The dynamic of teaching and learning should not be one-sided but collaborative. Barriers to healthy eating are numerous and complex, ranging from lack of access to kitchens and resources to financial struggles. Cookery schools can make a difference by tailoring their programs to specific groups and addressing their unique challenges. However, systemic issues, such as low wages and rising costs of living, require larger societal solutions. Ultimately, the goal is to create a supportive environment where individuals can learn, grow, and make informed choices about their health and wellbeing.
Food support services as a crucial safety net: During times of financial hardship, food support services provide nutritious meals to those in need, acting as a vital short-term and long-term solution until financial support becomes more accessible.
While the debate around universal basic income (UBI) and free food provision for the public continues, it's crucial to remember that a significant portion of society faces the challenge of accessing nutritious food. The number of people in this situation is debated to be between 3 and 8 million, and either figure is a massive concern. Some argue for UBI and cash handouts, while others suggest free food. However, until society recognizes and addresses the financial needs of its poorest citizens, food support services remain essential as a safety net and a means to provide nutritious meals to those in need. These services, like Made in Hackney's, can support local economies and independent businesses while acting as a crucial short-term and long-term solution. During the pandemic, Made in Hackney provided one meal a day to 500 people, and now supports 200 people with three meals a week. These services have proven to be vital for those who are medically vulnerable, elderly, jobless, or waiting for benefits. Until financial support becomes more accessible, food support services will continue to play a crucial role in ensuring people have access to nutritious meals.
Food support services provide crucial assistance in times of crisis: These services offer nutritious meals and a sense of solidarity, improving mental wellbeing and providing a temporary solution to food insecurity
Emergency food support services play a crucial role in helping individuals in crisis by providing them with nutrient-dense meals and a sense of solidarity. These services were initially meant to be temporary solutions but have become essential due to the persistent need. The people receiving these meals are not looking for handouts; they value the choice and autonomy over their food. The benefit system can be a dehumanizing experience, and navigating it can exacerbate anxiety and depression. By focusing on food solidarity and justice, these services help alleviate the immediate crisis and give individuals the mental space to focus on their future. Ideally, a more sustainable financial mechanism would be in place to help people in need.
Community kitchens as a security blanket: Despite challenges in funding and sustainability, community kitchens play a crucial role in providing security and support for individuals. To make this vision a reality for more communities, addressing hurdles in funding and sustainability is essential.
The importance of community kitchens as a security blanket for individuals cannot be overstated. Sarah's experience with Made in Hackney highlights the need for more such initiatives, but the exhaustion and challenges faced in securing funding make it a daunting task. The traditional charity model and funding dynamics can be uncomfortable, with lengthy applications and unprogressive attitudes. Despite these challenges, Sarah's background as a journalist helped her navigate the funding process, but the exhaustion and need for self-sustainability remain. To generate their own income, they require larger spaces and economically viable classes, which is a challenge with their current small but beautiful spaces. Overall, the potential impact of community kitchens is significant, but the hurdles in funding and sustainability must be addressed to make this vision a reality for more communities.
Starting a small charity: unique challenges and solutions: Passion, personal connection, and creative funding sources can help smaller charities overcome challenges and make a significant impact on society. Sharing experiences and resources can accelerate positive change on a global scale.
Starting and growing a small charity, like a community cookery school, comes with unique challenges. These challenges include securing funding and resources, which can be particularly difficult for those without wealth or privileged connections. However, with genuine passion, personal connection, and creative funding sources like crowdfunding, smaller charities can make a significant impact on society. It's essential to remember the vision and the "why" behind the charity to keep pushing forward. Additionally, sharing experiences and creating resources to help others start their own charities faster could accelerate positive change on a global scale. Made in Hackney, for example, aims to create a toolkit and mentoring sessions to support aspiring charities and speed up their progress. The world needs more plant-based initiatives now, and every effort counts.
Sarah's Community Kitchen's Crowdfunding Campaign: Listen to Sarah's inspiring TED talk and consider supporting her community kitchen project's crowdfunding campaign for affordable food services. Whole Foods Market offers Mother's Day deals, and Quince is a responsible shopping choice for fashion.
Sarah's community kitchen project is currently running a crowdfunding campaign with a goal to raise £150,000 in 6 weeks to cover the costs of their food support service. This is a larger fundraising effort than they've attempted before, and they're encouraging individuals and companies to contribute. The campaign includes a well-edited video and inspiring TED talk, and any proceeds from this podcast episode will also be donated to the cause. Listeners are encouraged to watch the video and consider supporting the campaign. The project aims to bring people together to make a difference in their community. Additionally, Whole Foods Market is mentioned as a great destination for Mother's Day shopping with special deals on body care, flowers, and desserts. Quince, a brand offering high-quality fashion at affordable prices, is also introduced as an option for ethical and responsible shopping.
