FEAST With Us appoints its first CEO and new Chair of the Board
Caroline Monkhouse Flower - CEO
Since being founded by NHS dietician Hannah Style in 2015, FEAST With Us has been supporting vulnerable people experiencing food poverty across North London by providing regular access to nutritious meals, plus food education and cooking skills.
Since the pandemic, the need for the charity’s services has grown exponentially – and now, Caroline Monkhouse Flower, who served as Chair of the FEAST With Us Board for six months, has been appointed as the charity’s first CEO.
The CEO role was introduced to support the charity as it expands to include services such as a new healthy-eating education programme.
Previously COO for nutrition and food technology company Kafoodle, Caroline was appointed following an external recruitment process. Her long-held passion for food and nutrition includes over 15 years’ experience working in a variety of roles connected with food and nutrition.
Caroline says: “I’m hugely passionate about FEAST’s mission to tackle food poverty and improve the nutrition and health of the most vulnerable people in society, and it’s a privilege to build on the amazing work that Hannah, the team and volunteers have achieved so far.
“We have ambitious plans to expand our projects and services this year, including new community meal locations, conducting nutritional research, and launching a healthy eating on a budget education programme. Sadly, there’s an increasing need for food poverty support, and we want to lead the way in identifying, delivering and co-ordinating meaningful and sustainable interventions with our partners.”
Helen Burgess - Chair of the board of Trustees
Alongside Caroline’s appointment, FEAST With Us is delighted to announce that Helen Burgess has been appointed Chair of the Board. Having spent the first 10 years of her career in senior policy and strategy roles in central government, with a focus on homelessness and supporting socially excluded people, Helen brings a wealth of valuable knowledge and experience to the board.
After leaving the government and retraining as a registered nutritionist, Helen set up the social-impact business Little Cooks Co, teaching children to cook to help address the problem of childhood obesity.
Helen says: “I feel honoured to be taking on this important role for such a fantastic charity. I think what FEAST is achieving is remarkable, and I can’t wait to help support their expanding impact and influence. FEAST has created a model that brings people and the community together, empowers people with new skills and confidence, nourishes those who need it most, and helps tackle food waste at the same time. It is utterly brilliant.”
Hannah Style - FEAST Founder
Hannah Style, founder and trustee of FEAST With Us, says: “In the battle against food poverty, charities are constantly adapting to the changing climate and conditions with increasingly limited resources. Encouragingly, we’re seeing more partnerships form to build communities that can progress up the food ladder, helping people move towards nutritional independence and food security.
“Within FEAST, it is humbling and heartening to be working with expert service users, and a proficient team of volunteers, staff and trustees. Thanks to the outstanding individuals who are proactively involved in the FEAST community, we’re at the helm of the food-poverty sector in Camden today. As the founder of what started as a grassroots initiative, it is an honour to be part of the cause.”
About FEAST With Us (FEAST)
FEAST was founded by an NHS dietitian in 2015, and transitioned from a local grassroots initiative into a registered charity in 2017, when it was providing a weekly community meal to two hostels a week.
During the pandemic, FEAST stepped up its operations to offer support to more people facing hardship, and now provides food at 11 hostels and centres for mental health in North London. FEAST has an impressive network of community partners who are committed to reducing food waste. As the pressing issue of dietary inequality worsens, there’s an increasing need for charities such as FEAST to offer a meaningful, sustainable response with nutrition science at the heart of its work.
FEAST’s mission is to address food poverty sustainably; both the immediate need for food aid, and the need for freedom from food poverty. Our strategic aims are to improve nutrition, build community for and with people vulnerable to food poverty, and reduce food waste.
Today, FEAST works with multiple hostels and day centres for homeless and vulnerable people, and offers healthy community meals and food experiences to a growing number of people. FEAST is a leader in the Borough of Camden, steering the Food Poverty Alliance initiatives towards a world without food poverty, working closely with Camden council to meet its 2023 Food Mission.
FEAST is developing a Healthy Eating on a Budget programme to support people to make informed nutrition decisions and have practical food experiences, ultimately promoting independence from food-aid services. FEAST is also conducting research in partnership with University College London, exploring the nutrition status of homeless people to observe dietary needs of this neglected population group.
Uniquely among food-aid charities, FEAST services will be using the evidence base to promote effective support for this vulnerable population group.