50 Families Project

We are delighted to announce the publication of the evaluation report for the 50 Families Project, which we launched in 2024. The project was inspired by feedback from nursing staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, who highlighted the urgent need to support families on lower incomes to access healthier food and adopt more sustainable lifestyles. Their frontline insight into the links between nutrition, inequality and health outcomes prompted us to move beyond emergency response and invest in longer-term, community-based solutions.

The 50 Families Project has brought together families, charities and funders across Northamptonshire to tackle food inequality in practical, positive and community-led ways. Over 12 months, families took part in hands-on cooking sessions, shared meals and digital peer groups delivered by Home-Start Northampton, The Spring Charity and Power of the Mind Networks. The project focused on building confidence, skills and connection, helping parents cook more meals from scratch, involve their children in food preparation and make healthier choices on a budget. Families reported increased cooking confidence, stronger social networks and improved wellbeing, with many describing the experience as transformative. By combining cultural awareness, flexible support and trusted community spaces, the project has demonstrated how food can be a powerful gateway to healthier lifestyles, reduced isolation and lasting change for families facing the greatest barriers.

The full report can be viewed here:50 Families Report February 2026