Refugee Week 2024, 'Our Home.'

September 2024
Images © Big Leaf Foundation
The theme of Refugee Week 2024 was 'Our Home,' and what better way to find 'Our Home' than by cooking and sharing dishes that mean something?

Through our trips to Jamie's Farm, we've witnessed the power and joy of collective cooking. We've often heard from young people about their wishes to share their home-cooked meals with us and their deep nostalgia for the flavours of their homeland.
We decided to make that happen by building a community cooking day.

Alongside our fantastic volunteers and some of the brilliant Jamies team, 13 exceptionally talented young people spent the afternoon planning, prepping and cooking seven different dishes—all of which reminded them of home.

We cooked Vietnamese Suon Nuong, Afghan Bolani with Kubali Pulao and Salad, Sudanese Dama, Ethiopian Injera and Doro Wat, Iranian rice with ground lamb and lentils, Spicy chicken pasta and Nicaraguan Papusa.
After a day of cooking, we began the evening with a private viewing and Vietnamese canapes at our Refugee Week installation at St Mary's Church.

We then walked down to our final destination of the evening, which we had decorated to look like a 'Home.' The Big Leaf team and volunteers brought objects special to them, and we created a feeling of cosiness and community together.

It was fantastic to see over 70 people, from Big Leaf young people and their guests to social and key workers, funders, and community partners, tucking into the delicious dishes, chatting, laughing, and making friends. The evening finished with beautiful music and spoken word performances, and everyone got stuck in to help us clean up. We always say that we are like a big family at Big Leaf, and this evening encapsulated that feeling.
We want to thank Ash, Jess, Jessica, and the team from Jamies for coming to help. We could not have pulled it off without you. We also want to thank Atif Superstore and Boz's Fruit and Veg for donating all the wonderful ingredients.

Finally, we'd like to thank all the young people who volunteered their time to cook and organise this event. It was extraordinary to co-create this experience, and we're so grateful to you for sharing your food and culture with us.