A Bristol-based charity is providing vital nourishment to the city’s impoverished youth in the form of both food and community through its supper clubs, thanks to support from Bristol Water.
In Bristol, over 1,300 young people under the age of 25 are at risk of homelessness and youth-led charity, The MAZI Project, is working to remove these financial and situational barriers to better mental and physical health. The charity recently signed up for Bristol Water’s Better Futures Fund to help source local produce for its supper clubs and to support its staff.
MAZI supper clubs are monthly gatherings resembling a youth club session, but centred around cooking and eating good food. The club’s main aim is to reduce isolation whilst providing a culinary education to young people.
MAZI’s initiative is considerate and careful to allow for the best, most sustainable, long-term support. For this, the Better Futures Fund support also went towards outreach sessions, where MAZI staff visit struggling youth in their own accommodation to build trust and connections before moving care into a MAZI kitchen. These visits also allow MAZI to gain vital insight into shared housing and monitor the current needs of the community to make any adjustments or improvements to their trauma-informed practices.
The MAZI Project provides sustainable support through increasing access to fresh food, building confidence and food independence through credited education, and providing employment opportunities by introducing young people to Bristol’s culinary network.
Amy, a young person who first engaged with MAZI’s outreach cooking sessions and has since attended many supper clubs, said: "My favourite thing about MAZI is the community. I normally cook alone which is boring so I always look forward to coming to the sessions because everyone is so lovely and I love the diversity and that everyone comes from different cultures, yet we are all one. You don't even need to speak the same language to be a family and i feel like the sessions are really welcoming and very friendly - all I see are smiles and I just feel like food is a beautiful way to bring people together."
Melanie Vaxevanakis, Founder of The MAZI Project, said: "The MAZI Project is very grateful for the Better Future Fund supporting our supper clubs and outreach cooking sessions. Both sessions are informal with a strong focus on cultivating trusted relationships with the MAZI team and each of the members. This gives us an opportunity to learn more about the needs and day to day lives of the community we support and can therefore adapt our services and operations in a way that is led by their voice. These moments of breaking bread and sharing a meal are imperative to continue MAZI's mission of making every young person feel love through food."
Dani Twelvetree, Director of Customer Communications and Engagement at Bristol Water, said: “The Better Futures Fund seeks to support organisations that are working hard to improve their communities, and since launching in 2021, The MAZI Project has worked tirelessly to improve the lives of young people in Bristol while connecting those in need with a supportive network.”
For more information about the Better Futures Fund and how to apply for support, visit www.bristolwater.co.uk/our-community/better-futures-fund
