Community festival showcases global cultures

A Northumberland community initiative has brought residents together to celebrate culture, connection and inclusion through food.

Full Circle Food Project hosted a community food festival at Hirst Welfare in Ashington, welcoming around 150 people from a wide range of cultural and religious backgrounds.

The event marked the culmination of a year-long programme of community lunches, which showcased cuisines and traditions from communities including Bangladeshi, Kurdish, Polish, Ukrainian, Pakistani, Scottish and Namibian groups.

Attendees enjoyed a variety of international dishes alongside entertainment, including traditional Highland dancing, as the festival highlighted the role of food in building understanding and shared experiences.

Michelle Brannigan, chief executive of Full Circle Food Project, said: “Food has a unique way of bringing people together, and this project has shown just how powerful that can be. 

“We’ve created opportunities for people to share their culture, learn from one another and

build real connections within our community.”

The initiative was supported by funding from the North East Combined Authority Mayor’s Opportunity Fund, which aims to strengthen community cohesion.

Organisers worked to ensure the events were accessible and inclusive, overcoming barriers such as language to create a welcoming environment for all.

Following the success of the programme, plans are in place to develop a community recipe book and establish the festival as an annual event in Ashington.

Michelle added: “We are incredibly grateful to the Mayor’s Opportunity Fund – this simply wouldn’t have been possible without their support. 

“It has enabled us to bring people together in a meaningful and lasting way.

“This is just the beginning. 

“We’d love to continue celebrating the rich diversity of our community and keep creating spaces where everyone feels they belong.”

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