Haringey, London

Building connection, belonging and participation through food

Haringey Community Food Network brings together more than 50 organisations working across Haringey’s food system, including food growers, community kitchens, food banks, emergency food providers, outreach projects and local food initiatives.

Together, they are working towards a future where nobody struggles to feed themselves or their family. But the network sees food as about more than food. It is also about dignity, relationships, participation and power.

Since 2024, HCFN and Humanity Project have been exploring how food can create opportunities for people to come together, share experiences and build stronger connections across communities.

One example is Recipes of Love, a community programme bringing people together through cooking, storytelling, music and conversation. Participants shared recipes, experiences and ideas while exploring questions about belonging, community and the future they want to create together. The project has since produced a community cookbook celebrating the stories, recipes and relationships that emerged through the programme.

These activities are helping to strengthen the relationships, trust and sense of belonging that make collective action possible. They are also laying the foundations for deeper community participation, with HCFN and local partners now preparing for their first borough-wide People’s Assembly.

In Haringey, assembly culture is growing through food, creativity and community action — creating new opportunities for people to connect, contribute and shape the future of their borough together.