Lily’s Social Kitchen Awards Night
Celebrating Success: A Night of Fun and Recognition at Westgate Hall
In September, we had the pleasure of hosting our second annual celebration event at the stunning Westgate Hall in Canterbury. This special occasion brings together our staff, supporters, funders, employers, and trustees to celebrate the fantastic achievements of our trainees and interns. It’s a chance for us to wave goodbye to those who have completed our intern program, which runs from September to August, and send them off on their next exciting journey.
Zoe Rodda, the founder of Lily’s Social Kitchen
“My favourite event of the year in which we get the whole company together and celebrate the achievements of our trainees with our supporters, funders, sponsors and families. The pride of our trainees and their families feels me with such joy and is a great way to end the academic year.”
The evening was filled with joy as we handed out over 250 certificates, recognising the wide variety of skills our interns have developed. From barista and marketing skills to customer service and even learning how to request holidays and understand their employee rights—it was clear just how much they’ve grown, both professionally and personally. Our goal is to support our young people in understanding their strengths, so they can confidently communicate with future employers about what they excel at and what support they need to thrive. We want them to feel positive about their future and the contributions they’ll make to the local workforce.
The night was topped off by an awe-inspiring performance from ‘Simia Circus’. Their incredible acrobats and fire-spinning display (thankfully the rain held off!) had everyone on the edge of their seats. Simia Circus shares our belief in inclusion and promoting confidence by focusing on individual strengths, which made them the perfect fit for our event.
We also want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the wonderful organisations that support our work. A huge shoutout to Matches Sports Bar and Grill, The Marlowe Theatre, John Graham Centre, The Pig Hotel in Bridge, and Oak Creative for offering our interns invaluable work placements over the past year. Your support truly helps our young people transition into the local workforce.
We couldn’t do what we do without the practical and financial backing of Social Enterprise Kent, Kent Community Foundation, and our project collaborators like Great Chart and Singleton Parish Council, Bemix, and Golding Homes. A massive thank you to Kent Training and Apprenticeships for partnering with us to deliver our Supported Internship Programme – it’s a relationship that enables us to make a real impact in our local community.
Lastly, a huge thank you to the unsung heroes behind the scenes – our staff, trustees, volunteers, and friends. Without you, we couldn’t deliver the high-quality service we’re known for. Whether you’ve bought a coffee from our cafes, shared our social media posts, signed up as a Friend of Lily’s, or even bought our CEO a gin to keep her going – you’re all part of our success, and we’re so grateful!
We’ve had another eventful year, full of unexpected opportunities, and we’re already looking forward to what’s next. Here’s to another year of growth, learning, and community support!