Sector Spotlight: Adur & Worthing Food Partnership
Building community through food, skills and connection
“People often come for help with food or cooking – but what keeps them coming back is the sense of belonging.”
Tell us a bit about your organisation – how it started and what you do
Our organisation started from a simple idea: everyone should have access to good, sustainable, healthy food, alongside practical support and opportunities to connect with their community.
We saw many people in Adur & Worthing struggling with the cost of living, social isolation and access to healthy food, so we began bringing people together through community food projects, cooking sessions and practical support.
Today we run initiatives that help people learn cooking skills, improve nutrition, reduce food waste and build confidence in the kitchen. Just as importantly, our sessions create welcoming spaces where people can meet others and feel part of their community.
We also coordinate 12 food banks across Adur & Worthing, helping them share information and work together more effectively.
Recently we opened the Adur & Worthing Community Hub in Beach House Park, an inclusive space where community groups, charities and organisations can meet and run activities.
Rooms are available from £5 per hour, making the Hub accessible even for small groups and start-ups.
How are you helping the local community in Adur?
We run community cooking sessions that help people prepare healthy, affordable meals using simple ingredients. Many participants are on low incomes, older, or new to the area.
We also work with partners to redistribute surplus food, reducing waste while ensuring good food reaches people who need it.
Our activities are about more than food – they help people gain confidence, learn practical skills, improve wellbeing and build friendships.
What are some of your greatest achievements?
One of our biggest achievements has been creating welcoming spaces where people feel comfortable and supported. Many people say our sessions are the highlight of their week.
We’ve helped people cook nutritious meals on tight budgets, supported individuals experiencing isolation to reconnect with others, and worked with local partners to ensure good food reaches the community instead of going to waste.
Opening the Adur & Worthing Community Hub has also been a major milestone, giving local groups an affordable and inclusive place to meet and collaborate.
Seeing people leave our sessions feeling more confident, connected and empowered is what we are most proud of.
What have you learned about working with people in Adur?
We’ve learned that community connection matters just as much as practical support.
People may initially come for help with food or cooking, but what keeps them coming back is the sense of belonging. When people feel valued and able to share their skills and experiences, they thrive.
We’ve also seen how generous and supportive the Adur & Worthing community is, with many people volunteering, donating food or giving their time to help others.
What are some of the challenges you face?
Like many community organisations, funding and resources can be challenging.
Demand for support has grown significantly due to the cost-of-living crisis, and we often see more people needing help than we can easily reach.
Another challenge is ensuring people who would benefit most know about our activities and feel confident enough to attend.
How have you worked with or experienced support from Adur Voluntary Action?
Adur Voluntary Action has been an important source of support. They help connect organisations like ours with other groups, opportunities and resources.
Being part of the local voluntary sector network allows us to collaborate and share ideas, helping us support the community more effectively.
AVA has also provided space for our steering group meetings, which we alternate between Worthing and Lancing.
What’s next for you?
We want to expand our community food work so we can reach more people across Adur.
This includes developing more cooking and nutrition sessions, strengthening partnerships and continuing to grow the Adur & Worthing Community Hub as a space that brings people together.
Our goal is to keep building a community where people feel supported, connected and empowered.
How can people get involved?
People can volunteer, help at community sessions or support food redistribution.
Local organisations can partner with us or donate surplus food, and community groups can hire space at the Community Hub for meetings, workshops or activities.
Anyone interested in learning to cook affordable, healthy meals or meeting new people is very welcome to join one of our sessions.