Gateway Community Kitchen and Hub re-launch

WITHERNSEA based Gateway are officially opening their Community Kitchen (Gateway Gourmet) at 10am on Monday, March 7. At the same time they are also re-launching the Community Care Hub after redecoration and refit.

The Gateway Community Care Hub and Community Kitchen is located at 104 Queen Street in Withernsea. The Hub has been established for the last two years helping local people in Withernsea and the surrounding areas. A spokesperson for the group said: “Our mission is to benefit local people within our area (Yorkshire) who are struggling with poverty in all its forms: financial, mental, spiritual, loneliness and despair. We aim to help people have a better quality of life, one that's stable and meaningful. We work with, support and promote other charities and organisations that share our objectives.”

The Hub initially opened two years earlier on Saturday March 7, 2020 and operated for two weeks before the Covid-19 pandemic hit. The Gateway immediately turned the hub into an emergency response centre, offering food parcels, welfare checks on the elderly and vulnerable and prescription pickups. The spokesperson added: “We sourced

white goods for families and people in need, we collected and went shopping for those that where self isolating at home.”

Since restrictions have eased they now operate an open door policy where they provide a safe, relaxing environment for people to come and have a hot drink and a chat. Their aims are to be an ear to listen, a friendly face, simply talking and befriending others. They are still offering all the support which they gave in the lockdowns and with secured funding they are expanding their services.

Thanks to funding from Yorkshire based Betty & Taylors they now have a fully fitted community kitchen in what used to be their back store room. The purpose of the kitchen is to demonstrate (batch) cooking and healthy eating to local residents. Withernsea experiences a high level of poverty with on average one in three children living in poverty as defined by National Indicator 116. Poor diet and associated health issues are endemic in the community. The

Gateway Hub aims to promote good health and wellbeing; a healthier lifestyle, whilst reducing loneliness and social isolation at the same time.

The spokesperson for the group added: “We would like to thank everyone that has helped, donated items or volunteered at the hub over the past two years. All of your help and support is extremely appreciated and without you the hub wouldn’t run as sufficiently as it does, so thank you. If anyone would like to volunteer, donate items or has any questions about the Hub they can contact Melissa Hayton 07740291147 or pop into the hub at 104 Queen Street in Withernsea where you will be more than welcome. We look forward to seeing you all at the re-launch.”

For community groups wishing to use the kitchen please contact Annette Jarvis on 07570 058817.

COMMUNITY KITCHEN: The Gateway fully fitted community kitchen