Chailey charity's launch of Hazel’s Kitchen: A Purpose-Built Space for Inclusive Cookery Sessions

Chailey Heritage Foundation Announces the Launch of Hazel’s Kitchen: A Purpose-Built Space for Inclusive Cookery Sessions

A NEW purpose-built cookery space designed to enhance the experience and opportunities for young adults living with disabilities in the local community has opened at Chailey Heritage Foundation.

Cookery sessions at the charity in Mid Sussex have until now been hosted in a kitchen shared with the café team.

A previously underused space in the activity centre has been transformed into Hazel's Kitchen - named in memory of Hazel Usher, a passionate advocate for people with disabilities.

This ambitious project involved the complete repurposing of the area, including the removal of old equipment, adaptation of utilities, and the design and installation of a fully accessible kitchen tailored for wheelchair users to enjoy inclusive cookery sessions.

Will Folkes, Director of Specialist Services and Income at Chailey Heritage Foundation, said: "We are incredibly excited to have launched Hazel's Kitchen. One of our primary ambitions at the charity is to provide more opportunities for young adults living in the community to access a range of accessible and meaningful activities, cooking is definitely one of the most popular.

"We were conscious that our previous cookery space was not ideal for many of the community as the noise and layout could cause distractions.

"We are thrilled with the transformation that has taken place, only made possible thanks to the generosity of the Hazel Usher Fund Committee, who awarded a donation in memory of Hazel Usher. We are delighted that her legacy continues through this amazing project.

"Hazel’s Kitchen is now providing a tailor-made inclusive cooking space, where customers can explore flavours and techniques from around the world. Polish and Cajun recipes are proving very popular.

"We rely on fundraising income to bring projects like this to life, and we look forward to welcoming even more people into Hazel’s Kitchen in the months and years ahead."

The Hazel Usher Fund Committee is based at Banstead United Reformed Church in Surrey. Its chairman Alan Kirby said: "The committee is delighted to be able to support Chailey Heritage Foundation in its project to transform an unused space into a purpose-designed kitchen for the young people, to be known as Hazel’s Kitchen."