Founder Iolanda’s Thoughts

Iolanda’s Thoughts Dear Readers At the start of a gloomy and rainy first week of October here we are reflecting on our achievements and looking forward to the celebrations  to mark the end of the year of the year and the festive season. As we speak we are busy packaging our Christmas products ready to be photographed and launched by second week of October. We aim to sell them online by preorder and also at markets and events we will attend from now to December. As a sneak preview there will be our best-selling hamper with a selection of our jams, truffles, biscuits and cheese as well as our tea towel, artwork etc. They will be available to preorder from middle of October. We are very pleased to announce that our Syrian dinner at Pistachio in the Park sold out in two weeks and by popular demand we are now  offering another Syrian Feast at Stansted Lodge in November and also a Syrian themed Christmas lunch at Star of Greenwich. We can offer the same at your place of work or for your family festive season celebrations. Please book your Syrian festive meal through our website. I am honoured to be nominated for the Mayor of Lewisham’s Community Award in the Community or faith group/organisation category.  The Community Awards scheme was launched in 2017 to champion all those who are going above and beyond for their communities. This could be through helping a neighbour in need, coaching a sports team, running a community choir, giving up their free time to volunteer, performing incredible acts of selflessness, donating food, and more. The council will film me and feature the film on their website promoting our charity. I am also very pleased about the official launch of the book in the UK and America “Silent rebellion,becoming a modern leader”  and the good reviews on Amazon. We are hopeful that you will explore this impactful resource. Please share it with those who want to learn more about leadership and more about my struggles and motivation to set Plateful up and keep it going despite all odds. Our partnership with Team Lewis is also continuing with our artwork being exhibited in their new Headquarters on Millbank. We are discussing the details as we speak and will reveal more in the next issue. Our search for a commercial kitchen of our own continues and perhaps you have leads in southeast London we could explore? Our external catering for events and special occasions continues to be popular with the local public and organisations and we are planning to be the caterer in residence at Magdalen Hall in SE1.The hall is well used by the local community for weddings, birthdays, etc without an in-house caterer. Lets hope their kitchen will be fit-for-purpose once refurbished. We will try it out in October. We are working on new menus from Sudan, Chad and Iran to feature in our community dinners and catering in the new year showcasing world flavours by refugee chefs. As usual the best way to be kept up-to-date is through our social media and signing up to our newsletter to be the first to know about our news! A huge thank you to our wonderful volunteer teams who work tirelessly to keep our charity going and keep growing. Truly and honestly you are the lifeblood of Plateful! !A rough calculation estimates the  total number of volunteer hours to 150 per week!!

Refugee Week

Refugee week poster

Refugee Week is the world’s largest arts and culture festival, celebrating the contributions and resilience of refugees. Plateful Cafe being a Charity, we are proud to participate in this significant event with special menus and activities, showcasing the talents and stories of our chefs who have come to the UK as refugees. Each dish they create is a testament to hope and cultural heritage. During Refugee Week at Plateful Cafe, we will host a series of events, including an art exhibition featuring works by refugee artists from around the world, and a talk on “Cooking and Community” with a renowned chef and refugee rights advocate. These events aim to provide insight into the refugee experience and foster connections through food and art. Our support for refugees continues throughout the year with employment and training opportunities, as well as a new initiative to provide free meals to refugee families in need. Every meal purchased during Refugee Week at Plateful Cafe will help fund this programme. We invite you to support our efforts and help create a more inclusive society. You can also help us in this cause by checking out our shop for some of our refugee made products.