Manna Community Kitchen understands food & believes in its catalytic properties. Liverpool is home to a vibrant migrant & refugee community. Many have had to flee warzones, oppression & persecution and unfortunately their struggles do not always end there. Life as a refugee can be isolating and lonely, particularly for many women whose religious beliefs debar them from engaging with the wider community & integrating fully in society. These women are frequently unable to access the support networks which they are entitled to.
Shared Futures is a women only cookery collective that provides a safe & socially acceptable forum for these women to socialise, form relationships & learn about what support is available to them & where they can access this help. Shared Futures is about making friends & regaining confidence. It is a warm and casual environment that is completely adaptable to the needs of each individual woman. At Manna Community Kitchen, we welcome everyone into the kitchen. Each workshop is led by local refugee & immigrant women & offers a true cultural exchange & the opportunity to learn, first hand, how to prepare speciality food from all over the world. All workshops are hands on & once the meal is prepared, everyone sits down together to enjoy the meal we have shared in preparing. Each workshop facilitates dialogue into the association of food and memory; aiding integration through the creation of a familiar, comforting meal in what is, for many, an unfamiliar setting. At every workshop, each woman will receive a menu card outlining the ingredients needed to recreate the dish elsewhere & the necessary information on costing & where exactly each product can be sourced in the city. This means that each participant leaves with a little taste of home.