Social Mission & Transformation
GoRendang CIC provides homecooked, nourishing and comforting meals to marginalised individuals and families suffering from food insecurity in Woking as well as empowering people with learning disabilities and disadvantaged situation into independent living by providing a platform to learn, gain confidence and sense of belonging within the community through our social mission projects.
Hospitality Work Experience
In January 2020, we offered a cookery training support in CAP Life Skills course where participants had the opportunity to learn new recipes and ways to produce healthy, delicious and affordable meals from scratch which can be easily prepared at home.
From September 2021, we expanded this mission by offering hospitality work experience to long term unemployed individuals and people with learning disabilities over 24 years old who are interested in the hospitality and catering industry. The individuals we recruit will run the catering at a lunchtime café held at Welcome Church, Woking. Once a week community members come to the church to receive advice and training about eliminating their debts and other services. The people coming to the sessions are often living in poverty, so the café will provide a hot, nutritious lunch for them and a safe space to build relationships. Members of the homeless community and anyone who is struggling with poverty or displacement (refugees) are also welcome at the café. The recruits will prepare food for the café and run the kitchen. As a result, they will gain confidence, skills and work experience, whilst providing food for others in need. At the moment, we are able to pay the recruits through grant supported by Community Foundation but future funds will be needed to support continuous yearly recruitments.
Fundraising for Refugees - Gold of Syria
Since April 2019, we had organized 7 fundraising events to promote Syrian cuisine and this long term project has demonstrated success in empowering marginalised groups. Through the sale of lunchboxes, £1,700 was raised and was used to enable Syrian refugees in Woking into employment and independent living. The funds supported them to pursue driving license applications and purchase equipment for hairdressing and catering businesses, access to jewellery courses and even bikes to get to work!
The food was prepared by a Syrian refugee, Ebrahim, so the events offered a platform for him to gain experience. Volunteers helped with the meal preparation so it was also a place for others to learn about the crisis in Syria and to help with the fundraising by showing generosity and kindness. Local small businesses were usually invited to the event to promote themselves so there was a positive impact from collaboration and supporting local businesses and charities with similar vision.
Ebrahim is now working in another local Social Enterprise cafe.
If you would like to donate to this cause, please visit this link. If you would like to partner to run fundraising events for the refugees community, please get in touch.
Hot Meals Provisions
Since the start of COVID19 pandemic in May 2020, we had worked with Foodwise, churches and Woking Council to provide temporary hot meals provisions to people within our community who are marginalised and struggling in food poverty and insecurity due to lack of facilities, capabilities and resources to prepare meals.
Due to the increasing needs, Sumicooks and GoRendang's satellite kitchen also based in Woking came on board in January 2021 to help prepare hot meals to the community in Woking/Guildford. Our kitchens have been inspected and chefs have been trained and are familiar with Food Standards Safer Foods and Hygiene operating procedures. From 8th March 2021, the mission was supported through funding from Community Foundation. We have now completed the use of the funding and you can read the report here.
As of March 2022, all COVID restrictions have been lifted and therefore we no longer offer meal delivery services but if someone needs hot meals, they are welcome to visit Welcome Cafe at Welcome Church, Monday anytime between 10-2pm where we will also be able to distribute emergency relief provision.
When you order our takeaway mealboxes, all profits go towards one of our social mission as described above. You can follow our Facebook page or subscribe to our newsletter for the weekly menu.