A Festive Feast for the Heart and Soul with CanTeam
Blog written by Lashe and Cameron, student volunteers and members of the CanTeam Crew at Haberdashers’ Hatcham College.
Introduction
This holiday season, I had the incredible opportunity to serve and wait on over 50 elderly guests at a special Christmas event. It was a day filled with joy, gratitude, and the spirit of giving as we gathered together to celebrate the magic of Christmas.
My CanTeam journey:
From serving Christmas food and catering for 50+ elderly guests, we have gained a variety of valuable skills that go beyond just technical abilities. By volunteering with CanTeam, you are building stronger communities. You’re directly impacting the lives of those who need it most. Whether helping the elderly, supporting vulnerable populations, or contributing to local events, CanTeam’s initiatives foster a sense of unity and connection.


Final Thoughts:
Volunteering with CanTeam to serve a festive Christmas dinner to over 50 elderly guests was a heartwarming experience that allowed me to connect with others, develop valuable skills, and make a meaningful impact in my community.
Background:
CanTeam is an after-school social dining initiative co-designed with young people that encourages students, their families and local communities to enjoy nutritious and delicious food and activities together.
Launched by Future Foundations in June 2023, CanTeam aims to embed a transformative food culture within schools, enabling young people and communities to thrive.
Over the first 6 months of the initiative, CanTeam was funded and supported by the Big Change Big Education Challenge to develop the concept, consult beneficiaries and test the idea. In January 2024, CanTeam was announced a winner of the Big Education Challenge and is being supported by Big Change to scale across the UK.
In partnership with Haberdashers Hatcham College, Haberdashers Academy Trust South and Impact Food Group, we piloted a CanTeam planned and run by Year 12 students in their enrichment classes. They had 5 weeks from launch to their festive dinner. Click here to read more about the pilot event. A second pilot will run in the Spring term.
We are excited to continue developing CanTeam and the impact we can have on the health and wellbeing of young people and their families throughout the UK.
Find out more:
- Read about CanTeam, our BIG idea for change here
Get in touch, if you think you can help…
- Email: jon@future-foundations.co.uk
We are looking for schools and partners who share our vision and can help us pilot CanTeam at scale.