News / community

Community group receives nearly £16k of funding

By Susie Long  Monday Oct 27, 2025

A local community group working to fight food insecurity has received nearly £16,000 in National Lottery funding.

Batch Cook Club, a community interest company based in south Bristol, will use the funding to support its work on food initiatives and education.

The group runs a monthly “Cook and Eat” club in Bedminster as part of their mission to “bring joy back into the kitchen.”

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The club works to bring people together in a social setting, providing affordable, healthy meals and advice from registered nutritional therapists.

The £15,900 of new funding, supplied by the National Lottery Community Fund, will secure the group’s Cook and Eat sessions for the next two years.

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Since Batch Cook Club’s founding in 2023, the organisation has worked with hundreds of families across Bristol to support those facing a wide range of challenges, including low income, poor health, disability and social isolation.

Laurie Roche, co-founder of Batch Cook Club, said: “We’re delighted that the National Lottery Community Fund has recognised our work in this way.

“Now, thanks to National Lottery players, we will be able to continue our popular cooking sessions and reach more communities in Bristol.”

Founders Laurie Roche and Seema Vekaria are working to improve food security in Bristol – photo: Batch Cook Club

The National Lottery Community Fund has stated that it plans to distribute at least £4 billion of funding to local community groups by 2030.

They hope that, by supporting groups like Batch Cook Club, they will help to “create resilient communities that are more inclusive and environmentally sustainable”.

Roche said: “It’s important because it helps us engage with people who are looking to grow their confidence in the kitchen, make more empowered choices around the foods they cook and eat, and build new connections in a fun, social and welcoming space.”

Main photo: Batch Cook Club

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