Local food and wellbeing hub boosted through successful National Lottery bid

The Hub has received just under £10k of National Lottery funding to help expand its services and enable more people to access affordable fresh food at a low cost with the support of Newark and Sherwood District Council. The Saturday Night Fakeaway Meal Bags contains fresh ingredients which enables families to cook together whilst following an easy recipe card to create a healthier and tasty alternative to a calorie ridden, often expensive takeaway.

The District Council worked with the Food Hub to create a variety of nutritious and healthy meal choices that will be easy for the whole family to follow. They will be available once a month for six months starting this January.

Councillor Paul Taylor, Portfolio Holder for Community Relations and Public Protection at Newark and Sherwood District Council, said, "It was great to visit the Newark Food and Wellbeing Hub to see the incredible work they are all doing and to celebrate the success of their application for National Lottery funding. Newark and Sherwood District Council is committed to the continual support of our residents through the cost-of-living crisis. I want to thank the Newark Food and Wellbeing Hub for their remarkable work – the Hub is run by volunteers who are doing a great job to help their community."

Councillor Susan Crosby, Portfolio Holder for Health, Wellbeing and Leisure at Newark and Sherwood District Council, said, “Healthy food is not often seen as an affordable option, but I hope that the Meal Bags will provide a way for families, on top of the fantastic work the Hub do, to make homemade healthy meals whilst enjoying the act of cooking.”

Those who want to access the Newark Food and Wellbeing Hub can call 07966181850. Members pay £1 and can pick up weekly bags of food worth approximately £20 for £3.50. Members who would like to receive a Saturday Night Fakeaway Meal Bag will need to pay an additional £1.50. The small charge will help make the project sustainable and help it continue beyond the first six months. Newark Food and Wellbeing Hub is open every Thursday 1pm – 3pm at Beaumont Walk Community Centre.

The project is just one scheme the District Council supported to encourage healthy eating, families cooking together and accessing low-cost healthy food.