Home Cooked successfully delivered its Community Forum at Lee Valley School last week, bringing together residents, partners, and young people for an inspiring evening of connection, reflection, and celebration.

The event began with project partners sharing highlights and achievements from their work during Year Two, Quarter Three, including contributions from Godwin Lawson Foundation, North London Partnership Consortium, and Tottenham Hotspur Foundation. Each organisation shared powerful examples of how their programmes have positively transformed the lives of the young people they support, demonstrating the real impact of collaborative community effort.

Guests were also introduced to the newly launched Home Cooked Community Fund, designed to support grassroots initiatives and expand opportunities for local residents.

A standout moment of the evening was a performance by talented young people from DJ-MC Academy, alongside inspiring talks from Amani Simpson (Aviard Inspires) and Dr Mark Prince (Kiyan Prince Foundation), who delivered motivational messages encouraging young people to believe in themselves and pursue positive pathways.

We were honoured to welcome Councillor John Bevan (Northumberland Park Ward), whose presence and time spent sharing a meal with residents reflected his continued commitment to the community.

“It was a real pleasure to be there as part of the KPF team. There is so much inspiring work taking place, and it was especially powerful to see young people given a platform to share their voices — whether through speaking or performing. Their passion and talent were clear to see. I thought they were all exceptional.”

“”

Jon Guymer, Director of Operations, Kiyan Prince Foundation

The evening concluded with guests enjoying delicious food from local food hero Juicy Roots, creating a warm and celebratory atmosphere that reflected the spirit of togetherness at the heart of the event.

It was truly inspiring to see residents, local organisations, young people, and community partners united by a shared commitment to creating a safer Northumberland Park and expanding opportunities for young people.