CanTeam Social Action Canteen: A Night of Community, Creativity, and Connection
On Wednesday 4 December, the CanTeam Social Action Canteen took over the dining space at Haberdashers' Hatcham College Jerningham site, transforming the space into a warm and lively gathering for a very special group of guests. Year 12 students worked tirelessly to plan, organise, and deliver an evening of entertainment, laughter, and connection for local care home residents and their carers.
CanTeam is an award-winning program developed by Future Foundations, inspiring young people to drive social change within their communities. Designed to empower students through hands-on experience, CanTeam allows them to lead impactful projects that benefit others while developing their own leadership, teamwork, and event-planning skills.
Our Year 12 CanTeam volunteers embraced this vision wholeheartedly. From designing the menu to decorating the venue and organising entertainment, their commitment was inspiring. The evening featured live music, bingo, quizzes, and icebreaker discussion cards, fostering a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere for all 70 guests who attended.
CanTeam Hatcham College December 2024
A Commitment to Nutritious and Thoughtful Dining
Aligned with CanTeam’s ethos of promoting well-being, the food served at the event was highly nutritious, reflecting the team’s care for their guests' physical and emotional health.
We are incredibly grateful to Impact Food, our catering company, for generously donating all the ingredients for the event. A huge thank-you goes to our dedicated canteen staff, who stayed late to cook and serve the meals.
The students behind the success
One student volunteer, Aliyah, shared:
Participating in CanTeam has been a transformative experience. It gave me the chance to connect with my community in a meaningful way and develop skills I’ll carry forward in life.
Julia/Tu Uyen added:
This was one of the most social and rewarding experiences I’ve ever had. It was heartwarming to see our guests enjoy the evening so much.
Walid reflected:
Volunteering with CanTeam was amazing. It taught me the importance of teamwork and gave me the confidence to lead.
Lashe and Cameron summed up their experience:
Serving Christmas food and engaging with our guests reminded us of the power of kindness and community. We would love to do this again.
Building Connections Across Generations
The CanTeam initiative isn’t just about events—it’s about creating meaningful connections. Seeing students and guests engage with one another, share stories, and build bonds was truly heartwarming.
Feedback from Our Guests
Guests from local care homes shared their appreciation for the event:
The warmth and friendliness of the students. The meal was delicious. Enjoyed very much. Compliments to the chef and all staff.
The attentiveness and friendliness of the staff and students, as well as the delicious food.
Food, entertainment, welcoming atmosphere—children and staff were fantastic.
The welcome by the students. Their kindness, enthusiasm, and attentions were wonderful.
One guest highlighted how the event changed their perspective:
I don’t use the bus between 3–4 pm because of the young people, but I’ve realised they are really kind, so I’ll use the bus at this time in the future!
The overall feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with an average rating of 4.83/5 and 95% of attendees expressing their desire to see more events like this in the future.
I am incredibly proud of our Year 12 students for their dedication to making this event a success. These opportunities provide students with valuable skills while strengthening our connection with the local community. We look forward to hosting more CanTeam Social Action Canteens at Hatcham College and across the Haberdashers' Trust.
Emma Fearnley, Director of Enrichment,
Haberdashers' Academies Trust South
Looking Ahead
As we reflect on this wonderful event and with more social action canteens planned, we’re excited to see how our students will continue to make a difference and foster stronger communities.
Thank you to everyone who supported this event, and we can’t wait to welcome you back for the next chapter in our CanTeam journey.
