Social Enterprise Fat Macy’s Crowdfunds Its Way to Permanence

Good news for fans and supporters of the social enterprise Fat Macy’s, which offers hands-on training in hospitality and cooking skills for young Londoners living in temporary housing: the team have revealed on Twitter that their crowdfunding campaign, launched in August, has exceeded its target of £55,000. It means they can proceed with their plan to renovate a building in Peckham and transform it into a multipurpose Fat Macy’s HQ.

Fat Macy’s has been running for 18 months, pulling off more than 100 catering events and supper clubs and winning friends along the way. The crowdfunded bricks and mortar site will house an all-day cafe/restaurant and training facilities, as well as providing a local hub with discounted rates for community groups and social enterprises, not just in food, but also fashion and craft.

The project will support twelve to 15 young trainees a year, who can earn credits towards a housing deposit and, in time, become eligible for a housing deposit grant. They will cook and serve breakfast and lunch daily, then small British tapas plates in the evenings. The popular supper clubs will continue, too.

Fat Macy’s also thanked their “food heroes” — critics, Marina O’Loughlin and Jay Rayner; food and wine writer, Fiona Beckett; and TV star/cookery writer Nigella Lawson for their support and publicity.