Warm Spaces, Healthy Meals: Supporting Older Residents in Ilford

Morgan Sindall Property Services (MSPS) recently celebrated the launch of a healthy soup making initiative at Parkside Community Centre in Ilford, East London, delivered in partnership with L&Q.

The session welcomed 25 members of the Sunshine Club, a group for older residents to prepare fresh leek and potato soup in the centre’s newly refurbished kitchen. Among them was a resident who had recently celebrated their 100th birthday, highlighting just how important accessible, inclusive community spaces are for people of all ages.

The soup sessions were introduced following engagement between our Social Value team and L&Q. Recognising the opportunity created by the centre’s upgraded lounge and two brand-new kitchens, the team proposed practical healthy eating workshops to help residents build confidence in preparing nutritious, low-cost meals at home.

Parkside’s new warm hub is a community led initiative designed to provide elderly residents with a welcoming place to spend time, access hot food and drinks, and ease pressure on household energy bills. We are proud to support the hub as part of our ongoing commitment to delivering meaningful social value.

The warm hub was made possible through the refurbishment of the lounge area, including the installation of two new kitchens. The space now offers elderly and vulnerable residents somewhere safe and comfortable to stay warm, enjoy hot meals and drinks, reduce energy use at home, and socialise during the colder months.

MSPS’s contribution included a £300 donation of kitchen equipment and utensils over the Christmas period to help get the new kitchens up and running. Our contractor, POLO PAINTERS, also made an in-kind social value contribution by sanding down and repainting nine tables in the lounge. Using primer and topcoat, the team transformed the existing furniture to complement the refreshed surroundings, a fantastic example of upcycling and reducing waste.

Arjun Ghosh, Social Value Officer, Morgan Sindall Property Services, said: “The soup making sessions are a simple but powerful way to bring people together. You could see how much confidence residents gained just by preparing a healthy meal side by side. The warm hub and the new kitchen facilities have transformed the centre into a space where older residents feel supported, connected, and valued, especially during the colder months. It’s a great example of what can happen when we work with partners like L&Q to invest in the heart of the community.”

Kalee Sohanpal, Community Development Lead, L&Q, added: “It is a priority for us to enable the community to make healthy eating choices. The soup-making workshops have given residents the foundation and confidence to put this learning into practice at home. Working together in this way helps create opportunities for people to feel supported, informed and connected.”

For more information, please email Communications@morgansindall.com