Published on: 17/06/2026
A community kitchen in Sheffield is expanding its operations thanks to the work of its volunteers and its success at providing a safe space for vulnerable people.
Based at Manor Top, the Sheffield Manor Parish Community Kitchen opened in August 2025 at St Swithun’s Community Church and uses food from a nearby foodbank to provide hot meals for people nearby. The team there provides breakfast on a Sunday, a hot meal on Wednesday afternoons for people picking up food parcels from the foodbank, and an evening main meal on a Thursday.
Between 25-45 people turn up each week, with some of those now attending church, including one person who has recently been baptised and now volunteers for the community kitchen. The team also have a partnership with the Green Estate that runs community meals once a month.
Sarah Short is the Community Kitchen Coordinator, and says
‘It’s not just for getting the food and eating; it’s the social side as well, which is really important. I think it’s made an impact on our local community in and around Manor Top.
‘We say, “You come for the grub, stay for the love”, because a lot of people that are coming here are lonely, have addictions or they just don’t know where to turn. What’s lovely about what we do is people naturally progress and want to get more involved with volunteering, which they have been doing.
‘The reason I did this is through wanting to share the love through food ministry, which is what we’re called to do and how we are to be with each other.’
There are plans to expand further at St Aidan’s in July and at St Leonard’s in Arbourthorne, running regular community meals and a catering offer alongside, which will initially be supported by community volunteers before potentially evolving into a social enterprise with paid roles. The catering could be offered for church-related services such as weddings and funerals, with all food being plant-based to help utilise surplus food and support environmental sustainability.
Sarah says a prayer tree has been set up at the community kitchen, with people adding to it in addition to prayers being said before each meal.
She adds:
‘It’s great that people feel they can find God in all sorts of different places and at whatever stage they’re at, and I’m hoping the community kitchen can be a little platform for that too. More people are coming for breakfast on Sundays and then staying for the service.
‘We’re always looking for people who are willing and able to come and volunteer. It’s not necessarily just the cooking and welcoming people in that is important for volunteering; it’s the understanding of the tough backgrounds people have come from who need help. It’s not an easy job, but I think that’s where God’s working through us as helpers and volunteers.
‘I’m neurodiverse and live in a family of that, and there’s quite a lot of families that come who are neurodiverse as well, so what’s really good is we’re offering a space where kids can just be themselves’.
Revd Canon Lucy Sablan, Team Rector of the Manor Parish, said:
‘We are so lucky to have Sarah and the team. The community kitchen has become an integral and beautiful part of our rhythm of church life. Sometimes I think that when Jesus said, ‘feed my sheep’, we are too quick to see it as just a metaphor! This feels like the love of Jesus at work in the community.’
The project has been funded by a Mission Enabler Grant. To find out more, email john.marsh@sheffield.anglican.org or visit: www.sheffield.anglican.org/support/for-churches/new-congregations/mission-enabler-grant/
Find out more about the Community Kitchen here: www.manorparish.co.uk/community-kitchen
