Author Emily Whitchurch

Emily Whitchurch

Emily is a second year Politics and International Relations student at UCL. An aspiring journalist, she is particularly passionate about environmental justice and exploring the intersectionality of social issues as the political landscape grows ever turbulent.

Community Spirit

The Museum of Homelessness finds its home in Finsbury Park

By Emily WhitchurchOctober 19, 2022

The Museum of Homelessness finds its home in Finsbury Park

Run exclusively by people with experience of homelessness, the world’s only Museum of…

Transforming Lives

The closure of Hawai’i’s last coal plant offers hope for indigenous and environmental revival

By Emily WhitchurchOctober 16, 2022

The closure of Hawai’i’s last coal plant offers hope for indigenous and environmental revival

At the start of September, Hawai’i shut down its dirtiest source of electricity:…

Community Spirit

London has been particularly devastated by the UK’s current cost of living crisis, with YouGov reporting that just under a third of Londoners are having to buy less food and other essentials, and almost one in five are “financially struggling”. On top of this, government reports from earlier this year shed light on London’s loneliness epidemic, with 700,000 residents feeling lonely “always” or “most of the time”. At Cook for Good, however, the atmosphere is far more uplifting. Expanding on the idea that the kitchen is the heart of a home, co-founders Robinne Collie and Karen Mattison have created a communal space on the Priory floor and the Greens Estate that is both practical and enjoyable. Cooking classes offer inspiration for after school snacks, family meals and basic kitchen skills, while regular community meals give residents the chance to meet and catch up with neighbours over freshly cooked food. Businesses can also benefit from this new social venture, with team building events allowing staff to come together and cook meals for those who need them. Longer-term and individual partnerships have also been formed - technology giant Meta provided generous funds to transform unused buildings on Priory Green, while former politician Ed Balls hosts an “intimate evening of cooking and conversation” on 20th September to raise money for the pantry and classes. Cook for Good thus creates mutually beneficial relationships across the community, connecting with similar organisations across London and keeping the views of Priory Green residents at the heart of the company’s growth. By combining social interaction and community cultivation with vital food services, Collie and Mattison present a thoughtful solution to the nation’s current socioeconomic hardship that could easily be modelled in other neighbourhoods in and beyond London.

By Emily WhitchurchSeptember 23, 2022

The King’s Cross community tackling food poverty and social isolation

Near the grandeur of St Pancras Station and idyllic Regent’s Canal, a former…