Decision details

Custom Folkestone – The grant will be put towards metalwork costs as part of a conversion of shipping container.

We are converting a shipping container to house a new community project called custom Folkestone.  Custom Folkestone is a CIC borne out of Folkestone’s unique creative character. Located between the sea, the garden of England and the towns Creative Quarter. Custom’s kitchen will serve up extraordinary locally sourced food alongside a menu food-focussed artistic projects. Through an open exchange initiative, collaborating with local community. Custom will deliver an uplifting and nourishing experience of creating, sharing and enjoying amazing food, making accessible an experience typically reserved for the privileged few.

Our vision for Custom Folkestone is threefold.

·        To establish it as a transformative force within the community. Creating tangible benefit and opportunities for employability and cultural experience for local people.

·        To gain a reputation for producing beautiful, imaginative and memorable food, sourced hyper locally, that encourages deeper consideration of the landscape in which we operate.

·        To be the UK’s first dedicated food-focussed art space, with a programme of critical and reflective work that generates change within our own organisation and inspires change in the wider food and art industries.

DECISION:

To provide funding of £250 to the above project.

Reason for decision:

Unemployment in Folkestone is above national average, particularly 18-24 years old, with more than a quarter of low income families in Kent living in Shepway or Thanet. Women are also significantly less economically active in/around Shepway than men. These linked issues give rise to a number of social and cultural needs that Custom will address:

1.            Access to work experience and employment.

2.            Access to uplifting cultural experiences.

3.            Community working together to create change.

To benefit those most in need, we have been developing an outreach strategy with a total number of local organisations including Shepway Youth Hub/Up on the Downs, Kent Downs AONB, Creative Foundation learning and engagement. Folkestone Fringe and Folkestone Women’s forum. In order to facilitate our exchange programme we are also building relationships with local allotment groups Harbour Community Garden, Black Bull Allotments, the Kiln Lane Allotments and Cantiaci. We have undertaken significant ‘other the ground’ market research, talking to as many members of the community as possible, leading to great community support, as demonstrated by many pledges and support comments on our crowdfunding campaign, the many people who have volunteered themselves to help get the project underway and our success at community pitch forum “Folkestone Soup”.