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Community cafés are non-profit setups seeking to address food insecurity (FI) locally and equitably usually using a pay-as-you-feel model and surplus foods(1). Concerns about rising levels of FI(2) and food waste(3) frequently drive this model. Started in 2023, the Kitchen Roots Café (KRC) aims to provide healthy, sustainable, affordable meals without proof of need or referral. Open once a week during lunch it offers hot meals, primarily using surplus foods. Clients can pay as much or little as they wish and can pay a meal forward. A mixed methods evaluation of KRC was carried out which aimed to identify who KRC clients were and their reasons for attending, in addition to its social and nutritional impact. Qualitative and quantitative data were gathered using bespoke questionnaires and optional interviews. In all, 32 individuals completed questionnaires, the majority in-person at KRC (91%), the remainder online. Four client telephone interviews were also held. Thematic analysis of qualitative data was carried out to identify recurring themes, while descriptive statistics were generated for quantitative data. KRC clients were largely vulnerable. The majority were at least middle-aged (28.1% aged ≥60; 25.0% aged 50-59 years) and out of full-time employment (62.5% worked <1 day a week while 9.3% worked part-time). Self-reported disability was common (43.8% overall; 50.0% of all men). Several lived in supported housing (e.g. YMCA, accommodation for women victims of domestic violence). One reported homelessness due to their immigration status. High levels of FI were evident: over half (54.8%) used other, often multiple, food support services, including food banks, community fridges and church lunches. The majority made use of the KRC primarily in response to FI, indicating as their main reason for visiting support with food cost and/or the cost of living (46.9%). For this group using the service was tightly linked with their ability to access a healthy hot meal and to save money; 85.7% agreed or strongly agreed with this. Many added the social aspect of the KRC experience as a second main reason for visiting (50.0% of those who gave multiple reason). Additionally, support the local community and enjoy delicious food were highlighted. Ninety-six % of participants agreed or strongly agreed that coming to the KRC had improved their wellbeing, while 65.6% agreed or strongly agreed that it had made them feel more valued, like they ‘belonged’ to the community. While concern about food waste was not their primary reason for coming, 90.6% of participants thought that eating surplus food offered at KRC benefitted the environment. For this vulnerable group, local community café provision offered a safe space with affordable healthy food. This, plus feeling welcomed and included, benefitted their feelings of wellbeing and belonging.

The Covid-19 pandemic exposed the fragility of the UK food system(1). Currently, 46% of fruit and vegetables are imported(1), making the UK vulnerable. Recent events such as war in Ukraine, volatile fuel prices and crop failures attributed to climate change have exacerbated this(1), with global food prices reflected in the cost-of-living crisis(2). Food is not just a source of nutrition, but of personal and cultural identity(3), with potential to impact on the extent to which people feel that they belong to a place or community. Community food growing schemes such as allotments remain popular in the UK(4). They could increase food resilience and security through growing produce, otherwise imported. The impact of a community growing scheme based in south London was explored. The scheme, a small farm allotment, was established by a Hong Kong farmer to grow produce including traditional Asian vegetables. It also aims to encourage collective efforts e.g. co-farming, through use of shared and private spaces. Focusing on traditional Asian vegetables, it offers bespoke advice, support and education via workshops, online mentoring and traineeships. Evaluation of this scheme was undertaken with ethics approval from Kingston University London. Using participatory non-extractive methods, qualitative and quantitative data were obtained using questionnaires and optional interviews with attendees of workshops (n = 52), online mentees (n = 2), and trainees (n = 3). All participants described themselves as Asian, Chinese or Hongkongers. More than two thirds (69.1%) had been in the UK for a relatively short time (up to 24 months). Both experience of, and knowledge about, growing food were low amongst participants, although this varied by group. While none of the trainees had previous food growing experience, half of online mentees and more than quarter (26.9%) of workshop attendees had some. All of the online mentees and over half (53.8%) of workshop attendees described themselves as having some knowledge about growing food. The most common reasons given for their involvement were an interest in urban growing/agriculture and practical (rather than theoretical) skills acquisition. Asian vegetables had multiple meanings for participants. Most commonly, they related to aspects of home, demonstrating the importance of culturally specific foods in evoking memories of people, place and time. Asked whether taking part in growing could help them build a sense of belonging within the UK Hong Kong community, responses were almost entirely affirmative for a variety of reasons. This highlights the multiple roles of food in people’s lives, and the potential for food to be used as a bridge between different groups, and as a bridge between their original and current homes. It also emphasises the role that growing food could play in cultural identity and pride, potentially building belonging as well as food resilience.

Community cafés are non-profit ventures tackling food insecurity (FI) locally and equitably, primarily using pay-as-you-feel models(1). FI is most prevalent in low-income and other vulnerable groups(2), in whom poor diets and worse health also intersect(3). Despite recognition that FI is largely driven by poverty and inequity(4), FI individuals are often negatively judged(5), risking further marginalisation. Community approaches to tackling both food waste and FI include community cafés, which frequently utilise surplus foods(1) to produce fresh meals and/or donate surplus food to those in need. Beyond a nutritional impact, community cafés have the potential to offer marginalised groups a safe space and a feeling of inclusion, benefitting their mental health and wellbeing. The aim of this study was to explore the social impact of community cafés. Two linked community cafés in a London borough were evaluated to explore their social impact on clients. Both operated using pay-as-you-feel; neither required proof of need. Evaluations were undertaken using mixed methods on 9 site visits (November 2022 - April 2023). Bespoke questionnaires (n = 72) and 4 interviews were completed by clients, and 40 interviews with volunteers. Thematic analysis of qualitative data and Kruskal Wallis analysis (posthoc Dunn’s and Bonferroni correction) of quantitative data were carried out. Both cafés relied on surplus food. Their primary priorities were tackling food waste and the environment followed by addressing FI. Qualitative and quantitative data from interviews and questionnaires revealed that for many clients, social and food provision were equally important. This was especially true for older clients; significantly more of those aged ≥65 compared with those aged 18-24 yr visited for social reasons (p = 0.02). The most highly rated aspects of provision for clients were the friendliness of the people and the helpfulness of the staff (98.7 and 97.1% respectively). Being able to meet and talk was identified as important by 70.1% of clients. Anecdotally, this was especially important to marginalised groups like migrants and refugees. Since referral to the cafés was not needed, clients included individuals utilising them for environmental reasons as well as those affected by FI. This allowed mixing among groups who would not ordinarily meet. Volunteers also highlighted this as key to enable them to hear the stories of those they served. The mixed clientele not only helped build community but helped reduce stigma, since FI was not the sole reason for attending. For volunteers, the open and accepting nature of community provision which did not require referral or proof of need, was valued. The data suggest that community cafés have important value beyond nutrition, enabling formation of community networks and increasing understanding of the lived experience of those with FI.

University students have high risk of food insecurity (FI)(1). Largely comprising young adults, they often have poor diets(2), important given the potential for this life stage to embed healthful eating behaviours(3). Having established high levels of concern about their food security among students at a post-92 university(4), the KingsGate Student Pantry was established in November 2023 as a partnership between university staff and student volunteers, a local food charity and a local church. It includes a weekly social space with free refreshments to encourage belonging, signposting to support, cookery demonstrations and access to a range of food, household and personal hygiene items, including bread, fresh fruit and vegetables. For a weekly payment of £5, customers receive £20-35 of items (estimated). An evaluation of the Pantry to understand its impact on customers and volunteers was carried out. Bespoke questionnaires for each group collected qualitative & quantitative data about experiences of FI, reasons for coming (or volunteering) and impact of the Pantry on nutrition and belonging. These were administered at the Pantry using QR codes. Optional telephone interviews were held. Qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis to identify key themes, while quantitative data were used to generate descriptive statistics. The impact of demographics on responses was explored using Kruskal Wallis tests. This ongoing evaluation currently includes 112 customer and 14 volunteer questionnaires, as well as 3 customer and 5 volunteer interviews. Preliminary results suggest that finances and social reasons are major drivers for customer attendance. Key food items required at the Pantry are vegetables and fruit; cereals, pasta and rice; and milk and dairy products – basic staple foods now expensive largely due to cost-of-living pressures. High levels of satisfaction among both customers and volunteers are apparent, not limited to the goods on offer although levels of satisfaction with these are high. Goods are largely surplus, supplemented with additional items specifically purchased using the £5 weekly customer fee. This ensures a high quality offer in addition to contributing to sustainability of the Pantry. Satisfaction also extends to opportunities to build relationships, including between community and university volunteers and customers, groups otherwise unlikely to meet. The social space and welcome received are highly valued: ‘Doesn’t feel like support, feels like going out shopping with friends’ [customer interview] ‘Happy place to be’ [volunteer interview] The Pantry therefore represents a pathway to developing a shared understanding of the meaning of community between diverse groups, to their shared benefit. Built using existing relationships and partnerships, it exemplifies how universities can utilise the skills and expertise of their community stakeholders to mutual benefit.

Increasing food insecurity (FI) in the UK has led to increased food bank usage(1). This underrepresents true levels of need, since many with FI utilise alternative coping strategies(2). Food banks are designed to provide emergency food for a limited time, requiring referral with proof of need. They have been critiqued for this and their limited food choices(3), which add to the stigma experienced by many clients(4). Their nutritional quality has also been criticised(3). The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) require action to address socioeconomic drivers of inequity. Several are nutrition-related including SDG2 (zero hunger) and SDG12 (responsible production and consumption)(5). Part of SDG12 aims to halve per capita levels of food waste by 2030(5). Surplus food is often used to feed those with FI through community support schemes like social supermarkets, alternatives to food banks. This study evaluated social supermarkets to identify client experiences and perceptions of surplus food, food waste and stigma. Bespoke questionnaires were administered in two social supermarkets in Sussex on three site visits (n = 111). Additional optional telephone interviews (n = 25) were conducted. Ethics approval was obtained from Kingston University London. Of particular interest were client views on quality and choice of food available, and implications of this for SDG12. Thematic analysis of qualitative data was carried out to identify key themes, while quantitative data were statistically analysed to explore impact of demographics using Kruskal Wallis tests with posthoc Dunn’s and Bonferroni correction. Of particular interest were client views on the quality and choice of food available, and the implications of this for SDG 12. The majority (n = 102; 91.9%) agreed or strongly agreed that choosing what they ate rather than being given no choice mattered to them, while 76.6% (n = 85) agreed or strongly agreed that the social supermarket helped them to reduce food waste. Interviews revealed these were linked, and the impact on food waste was not solely due to the use of surplus food but to offering food choice with clients choosing what they and their families liked and would eat; being given no choice increased the likelihood of foods being wasted. [Social supermarket client quote] ‘I think [choice] is important, I hate, absolutely hate waste, I don’t agree with it, I don’t agree with throwing things away that you could eat. And if someone made that choice for you, you might not be able to eat it and want to eat it’. Food choice therefore increased client agency, reducing the potential for stigma and trauma. Using surplus food to feed those dealing with FI is problematic. Nonetheless, offering food choice represents a more client dignified experience with potential to reduce food waste, thereby arguably helping to achieve SDG12.

Background/Objectives: Greek Orthodox fasting (OF), which involves 180–200 days of fasting per year, is dictated by the Christian Orthodox religion. For the first time, this cross-sectional study examines the characteristics and the effects of OF on anthropometry, cardiometabolic markers and calcium homeostasis in Athonian monks (AMs). Subjects/Methods: Daily intakes of energy, macro- and micronutrients of a day during a weekend of Nativity Fast, defined as non-restrictive day (NRD), and a weekday during Great Lent, labeled as restrictive day (RD) were recorded. Results: The daily energy intake of 70 AM (age=38.8±9.7 years) was low during both RD and NRD (1265.9±84.5 vs 1660±81 kcal, respectively, P <0.001). Paired samples t -test showed statistically significant difference between daily intakes in RD and NRD: carbohydrates (159.6±21.8 vs 294.3±23.4 g, P <0.0001) and saturated fat (12.7±0.0 vs 16.4±0.0 g, P <0.0001) were lower, whereas protein (89.2±1.3 vs 72.35±1.3 g, P <0.001) was higher during RD. A subsample of 50 monks (age=38.7±10.6 years) formed a study cohort for cardiometabolic and calcium homeostasis assessment. Body weight (74.3±12.9 kg) and body mass index (BMI; 23.8±4.1 kg/m 2 ) were independent of level of physical activity. Optimal profiles for lipid and glucose parameters (total cholesterol: 183.4±41.7 mg/dl, LDL: 120.6±37.6 mg/dl, triglycerides: 72.2±31.3 mg/dl, HDL: 48.5±14.2 mg/dl and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) 1.02±0.40) were found. Profound hypovitaminosis D (8.8±6.2 ng/ml), high parathyroid hormone (PTH): 115.5±48.0 pg/ml with normal serum calcium levels (8.9±3.2 mg/dl) was observed. Conclusions: Unaffected by variation in lifestyle factors, the results of this unique study offers clear evidence for the health benefits of the strict Athonian OF through optimal lipid and glucose homeostasis.