Sufra

Initial Idea and Start up: 2011-2013

In 2011, Sufra was proposed by Mohammed Mamdani, a social entrepreneur, who founded Muslim Youth Helpline; Ansar laumched Project and Al-Mizan Charitable Trust,^[3] which was in 2012, until eventually it was officially founded in April, 2013. Sufra is an Arabic term meaning "Come to the table".^[4] The aim of the charity was to provide local people with food and even basic necessities and toiletries.^[5]

Sufra moved into new premises at Carlton Kitchen in Kilburn in September 2013 on a 3-month lease. Operationally, food collections had been successful with regular donations from key supermarkets and schools. Since start of operations, Sufra has distributed food parcels to over 300 people in need. These clients have come through local referral agencies.^[6] in April 2013 by the local London Borough of Brent to relocate in St Raphael's Estate as this was one of the poorest estate in the local area.^[1]

Food Academies, Business Enterprise Project and Welfare Surgeries: 2014-2015

In June 2014, Sufra began to run Food Academies, alongside being a charity, it also became a local community centre aiming to bring the community together by running food academies and teaching people to cook. The main aim was to train young people between the ages of 16–25 years in basic cookery skills. Over 5 weeks and 10 intensive sessions it hopes to teach people to cook 10 home-cooked meals, understand nutrition and how to maintain a healthy diet. In addition to this, they run a master-chef competition and learn to manage weekly budgets with an accredited qualification, which can be used to apply for an apprenticeship or employment in the catering industry.^[7]

Sufra after its 2015 renovation

In January 2015, Sufra joined a partnership with Aston Business School. It launched a recruitment drive for their first Business Enterprise Project which was sponsored by Segro. The project was aimed between 16 and 25 years, who've got a business idea and help them get it off the ground. The Business Enterprise Project includes a free 5-day residential at Aston University’s Business School where candidates will learn everything they need to know about setting up their business, followed by personal mentoring, a grant of £500 and free office space.^[8]

During this time, Sufra also began to provide Welfare Surgeries for existing users. Users who already have a food bank voucher or are taking part in any other programme or activity, are able to request additional support from the lead staff member or volunteers. The Food Bank states that they do not support every case and that only a limited number of cases are taken on a weekly basis. Generally, they began providing the following; assistance with CVs and job applications, assistance with online benefit forms, guidance on issues relating to benefits, housing or employment and even arranging for specialist help and support.^[9]

Food Academy Plus and St. Raphael's Edible Garden: 2016-2017

Sufra expanded their kitchen in the beginnings of 2016, allowing them to provide a hot-meals service to individuals and families every Friday between 6:30pm and 9:00pm. The service is open to all members of the community and they encourage members of the public to join them and eat alongside the most disadvantaged in the community, providing informal peer-support and a listening service.^[10] During the summer of 2016, Sufra decided to launch a more sophisticated approach with Food Academy and launched Food Academy Plus. This programme aimed to recruit, train and find employment for 20 adults in the catering industry. Across the programme, participants learn professional cooking skills, project management skills and customer service. There is also compulsory study sessions in numeracy, literacy and ICT, work experience in a professional restaurant at the London Designer Outlet – as well as the support of a mentor and employment coach throughout. The programme includes setting up a pop-up restaurant at Sufra NW London, where the charity invites local employers to see the skills of our graduates first-hand and head-hunt for new chefs, waiters and restaurant staff. As an incentive, participants receive a free chef’s uniform, 3-month bus pass and access to all in-house support and opportunities available at Sufra NW London. That includes a discretionary fund, which is used to financially support vulnerable and/or low-income volunteers.^[11]

In November 2016, Sufra was also featured on episode 1 of BBC's The Big Food Rescue. Which followed two men on a mission to change Britain's food habits by rescuing the fresh food that supermarkets used to bin and getting it to the people who need it.^[12]

In 2016, Brent Council approved a growing garden project.^[13] The garden project was located just a minute walk away from Sufra's main office and was named St. Raphael’s Edible Garden. This was a new food growing project on St. Raphael’s Estate which aims to confront the causes and effects of poverty in the local community. The charity officially laumched the project in March, 2017 and runs a Growing Club twice a week on Wednesdays and Sundays from 10am to 2pm.^[2]

On 1 June, 2017, Sufra launched an online store on eBay in an attempt to increase donations and funds. The store sells Sufra branded items such as T-shirts, pen holders and trolley coins. ^[14]