We want to share a story of a very special new volunteer of ours at Cherwell Collective.

Once a month we host, in partnership with Cherwell District Council, global majority refugees support. We dedicate time to welcome members of our community who may experience cultural barriers and provide access to food, a cup of tea, and good conversation (with the help of technology to cross language divides).

Aisha has wanted to cook alongside us to give back to her community for such a warm welcome. Over several months, she worked incredibly hard to complete the required training to be allowed to volunteer in our Climatarian Kitchen. And today was the day when Aisha could finally cook!

This was a huge milestone for her. Using an interpreter, she has successfully completed modules in Working with Food, Opening and Closing Checks, Cross Contamination, Personal Hygiene and Fitness to Work, Separating Foods, Food Allergies, Cleaning, Chilling, and Storage.

Today, Aisha worked alongside Andreea, who is responsible for the delicious meals served at the café each week as well as for day-to-day training and record keeping.

Our food is made entirely from surplus ingredients and seeing the abundance of donated tomatoes today, Aisha and Andreea spent the morning making tomato sauce together. The sauce will be labelled and frozen and used next week during Cherwell Collective’s cookery classes at Bullingdon Prison, where we use cooking skills training to reduce reoffending in a nationally-supported program to increase community connection and employability.

We are so proud of AISHA!

We’re also so proud of our WISH Coordinator, Migi who has been leading Aisha’s work experience and training. Finally, we are so grateful to Andreea for her leadership and patience for training that might have taken longer than others but was well worth the wait. Aisha left WISH absolutely beaming today.