A touring pop-up kitchen facilitating a space where people can “take stock and come together” is to make Rainham its home for a few days this month. 

The People’s Kitchen, a community art project run by Variable Matter, will be providing hot soup and a communal environment from its temporary space opposite Rainham station, from March 8 to 18. 

The Variable Matter team decided to return to Havering for a second time after last Year’s The Rising Sun, an exhibition located in Romford Market which collated the voices of more than 100 local people to reflect the changing identities and nuances of the area over the years. 

The group’s new project has been created in partnership with local residents, community groups and organisations, with local chef Rajiv Kc from Rajiv’s Kitchen developing a changing soup menu. 

Attendees will be able to pick up some vegetables and recipes to make their own soup at home, with a range of pop-up events also planned. 

These include a young people’s dinner, where members of Rainham Royals youth group will work with chef Megha Kochhar Arora from CREM Kitchen to serve up meals, and a special event where the public can nominate someone to attend a Mindful, Food and Art evening hosted by Bluerskies community producers Charlotte Trower and Lucy McDonald. 

Lead artist David Shearing said: “More than ever, we need to find ways to take stock and come together.

"The People's Kitchen offers a chance to reconnect and re-imagine what we might achieve together. I think the project offers us a chance to stop, take a moment out from our busy lives, and reconnect with our natural world.

"It's a subtle form of activism, to slow down.” 

Havering Changing area worker for Rainham, Norma Stevenson, added: “The People’s Kitchen will provide a wonderful opportunity to bring people together to share food, experiences and thoughts on Rainham’s food past and possible futures.   

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“I’m delighted that an art and food project will be explored locally making it relevant to everyone.” 

The People’s Kitchen will be located at 4 Celtic Farm Road from March 8-18, and will open 12pm to 6pm every day.

Entry will be free, with no booking required.

For more information, visit: thepeopleskitchen.variablematter.com