Cheese Market Boost for the Upper Room
Homeless charity benefits from donations from volunteer-run event
Jules Kane, Lucy Cufflin, Fran Warde, Jo Pratt, Donna Freed and Damien from Macken Brothers (centre right)
April 24, 2023
The Upper Room, a charity supporting the homeless in Shepherd’s Bush, has benefited from significant donations from the Chiswick Cheesemarket.
Over the last year, it has given more than £5,000 to organisation based at St Saviour’s Church in Cobbold Road
The volunteer-run market also provides the cheeseboards for The Upper Room’s fundraising quiz nights.
Last Christmas, volunteers from Hammersmith & Fulham Foodbank sold Christmas decorations at the cheese market to raise £600 for The Upper Room.
In addition, the market has set up a funding line at Macken Brothers – the popular butcher’s shop in Turnham Green Terrace – to help supply The Upper Room with regular produce at cost price. This link with Macken’s has also resulted in Midlands-based food company KTC Edibles donating 200 litres of cooking oil.
Lucy Cufflin, a cookery writer and one of the cheese market’s founders, described The Upper Room as “our favourite charity”.
While Fiona Cook, fundraising manager at The Upper Room, said, “We are so grateful to the Chiswick Cheese Market for providing financial and in-kind support to us.
“The majority of our fresh food donations come from City Harvest and Felix Project, but they are facing increased demand from charities across London. It makes a huge difference to know that we have a back-up supply of fresh meat to draw on so that our chefs can continue providing balanced and nutritious meals to people who are experiencing homelessness.”
“We really hope that further support and links can be developed with other local businesses to support people in need. A huge thank you to all involved,” Fiona added.
The Upper Room at St Saviour’s began life 30 years ago as a small-scale soup kitchen. Over the past year it has reported a sharp rise in demand for its services caused by the cost-of-living crisis. The Nourish Hub in Shepherd’s Bush has also provided three cooks to provide cover for their permanent chef, who is off work with an injury.
As well as giving specialist advice and hot meals to homeless and vulnerable people, it offers counselling and therapy, and teaches ex-offenders and young ‘at risk’ to drive, to improve their employability and reduce their risk of offending/re-offending.
Jules Kane, Fiona Cook, Lucy Cufflin, Iain Cooper, Jude Thompson and Chris Francis in The Upper Room's kitchen at St Saviour’s Church in Cobbold Road
The cheese market was launched in May 2021 and takes place once a month at Old Market Place, the car park in front of the former police station in Chiswick. As well as selling more than 150 different cheeses, the market features kitchenalia, pasta, hot cheese toasties, chutneys, bread, crackers and charcuterie. With 40 stallholders from as far afield as Dorset and Bath, it is the UK’s biggest cheese specialist market.
“It was set up by 10 local women to bring cheese home to ‘Cheesewick’, help the artisan cheese industry and help keep the high street alive and vibrant,” said Lucy.
The next Chiswick Cheese Market is on Sunday 21 May, 9.30am-3pm.
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