Community Involvement Leicestershire Community Kitchens

Pop along to a Community Kitchen cooking class and you’ll be welcomed by a friendly group of volunteers and learners who come together to cook. 

The emphasis is on fun and friendship, but you’ll also cook something delicious during the class which you can either eat there or take home with you. While you are cooking you’ll pick up some tips on how to reduce food waste at home, helping you to save money and reduce your impact on the environment. Whether you’re a complete novice or a semi-professional in the kitchen, there’s something for everyone. 

Community Kitchens run fortnightly at the following venues (links open google maps) 

The Meadows Community centre in Burbage – Mondays (alternate) 11am till 1pm 

Newbold Verdon Baptist Church – Tuesdays (alternate) 10am till 12 noon. 

Ratby Methodist Church – Wednesday (alternate) 10am till 12 noon 

Barwell Community House – Thursday (alternate) 12 noon till 2pm 

Earl Shilton Community House  – Thursday (alternate) 12:30pm till 2:30pm 

Gwendoline Community House (Hinckley) – Friday (alternate) 11am till 1pm 

Please note: Some of these sessions have a small charge to attend, and some run in term time only. Please contact the Community Kitchens using the details below to find out more information and to confirm dates and times before attending to avoid disappointment. 

The Community Kitchens look forward to meeting you. 

Contact the Community Kitchens: 

Give us a call on 01455 255942 or 01455 255941 

Email:  earlshiltoncommunityhouse@hinckley-bosworth.gov.uk 

Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EarlShiltonCommunityHouse/ 

What is a Leicestershire Community Kitchen? 

Leicestershire’s Community Kitchens started in 2017 when Sainsbury’s provided funding to Leicestershire County Council to trial the opening of three kitchens in Hinckley & Bosworth. The funding was part of their WasteLessSaveMore Project, which aimed to help people reduce household food waste. 

The project trained a small team of volunteers to run free food waste prevention themed cooking classes from the kitchens of Community Houses (small community centres in residential areas) . Where possible the classes used surplus food that would otherwise have gone to waste, and they focused on helping local residents reduce food waste in their homes. 

The trial proved to be a great success, with attendees typically managing to reduce the amount of food they wasted by about a third (by weight) and their food shopping bills by 10% or more.  

Since 2017, the volunteers at the Community Kitchens have gone from strength to strength delivering several cooking classes per week at all three venues. They have also recruited and trained new volunteers to support the project, as well as opening new kitchens in neighbouring towns and villages as part of a growing independent network. 

In 2022 researchers from the Public Health Intervention Responsive Studies Team investigated the impact of attending a Leicestershire Community kitchen. They concluded that Leicestershire’s Community Kitchens: 

• Were highly valued by attendees 
• Provided an opportunity to socialise with others while learning new skills or trying something new  

• Encouraged attendees to learn to be healthier, and reduce household food waste 
• Were inclusive, offering a safe environment to everyone regardless of background, ability and gender  
• Helped build confidence and independence 
• Offered respite from caring responsibilities or from being cared for 

See the summary report at: https://phirst.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/NIHR-Community-Kitchen-infographic_FINAL.pdf