What if one evening of great food and great company could help create opportunities for generations to come?
On Thursday 3 September 2026, Waste to Wonder Worldwide is bringing together people from across the facilities management, sustainability, food and business communities for Plates with Purpose, a fundraising evening at the Urban Farmer Project in London’s Fleet Street Quarter.
But this is about much more than dinner.
Every ticket sold will help us move closer to making the Sustainability Cookery School in The Gambia a reality, creating a place where young people can develop practical skills, improve their employment prospects and contribute to greater food security within their communities.
Food with a purpose
Food sits at the heart of the evening, and we are incredibly fortunate to have two renowned chefs creating a West African-inspired menu for our guests.
Conor Spacey has worked in the food industry for more than 35 years and is a passionate advocate for changing the way we think about food. His work focuses on how we can feed a growing population more sustainably while reducing waste and creating a food system that works better for both people and the planet.
He will be joined by Ali Honour, an award-winning chef, food educator and sustainability advocate with more than 30 years of professional experience. Known as the Bean Queen, Ali champions nutritious, low-carbon food and recently featured in a five-page spread in BBC Good Food.
Together, Conor and Ali will be creating an evening that celebrates the power of food to bring people together while demonstrating how delicious sustainable eating can be.
Why are we raising money?
The funds raised through Plates with Purpose will support the development of our Sustainability Cookery School in The Gambia.
The vision goes far beyond teaching people how to cook.
The school will provide young people with practical skills across sustainable cooking, agriculture, hospitality and entrepreneurship, helping create pathways into employment and enterprise.
Crucially, it will also support greater food security and sustainable livelihoods.
By combining food education with sustainable growing practices and employable skills, we want to create a model that equips people with the knowledge and resources to build opportunities for themselves, their families and their communities.
It is about creating impact that continues long after the school doors open.
Bringing people together
Plates with Purpose is also an opportunity to connect.
The evening will bring together people from across the facilities management, workplace and sustainability business sectors, alongside organisations and individuals who share a passion for social impact.
So whether you come for the food, the networking, the sustainability conversation or simply because you want to support something meaningful, you will be part of an evening with a shared purpose.
And, of course, there will be drinks, plenty of conversation and opportunities to help us raise even more for the project throughout the night.
£40 can help create lasting change
Tickets for Plates with Purpose are just £40 per person.
For that, you’ll enjoy an evening of West African-inspired food created by two incredible chefs, meet people from across the industry and, most importantly, help us take another step towards opening the Sustainability Cookery School.
Every ticket matters.
Every person in the room helps us build momentum.
And every pound raised brings the school closer to becoming a reality.
Plates with Purpose
Thursday 3 September 2026
From 5pm
Urban Farmer Project, Fleet Street Quarter, London
Tickets: £40 per person
Join us for an evening where good food can do something even better.
Book your ticket to Plates with Purpose and help us turn a shared meal into lasting impact.
Sustainability Beyond the Plate: Addressing Climate Change
At Waste to Wonder Worldwide, sustainability has always been about seeing value where others see waste, and in The Gambia, where agriculture employs about 70% of the labour force, climate pressure directly affects workers and livelihoods.
That same thinking sits at the heart of the circular economy, where resources continue to deliver value instead of being discarded within environmental limits.
The Sustainability Cookery School reflects this philosophy by encouraging responsible food production that works with nature, helps protect waterways, supports biodiversity, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, stores more carbon, cuts unnecessary waste, and makes the very best use of local ingredients and natural resources in ways that matter to consumers.
It is about building resilient communities while protecting the environment for future generations, while helping local people take a more active role in food enterprise and local decision-making. Community empowerment strengthens local voices, and better community engagement can improve services and lead to better outcomes.
An Evening to Inspire Change on Biodiversity Loss
Guests attending Plates with Purpose will hear first-hand from Conor Spacey and Michael Amos, who have been working together to bring the Sustainability Cookery School to life.
Together they will explore why food has such an important role to play in addressing climate challenges, creating economic opportunities and strengthening communities, and why the transition to better food systems cannot place the full burden on farmers alone. They will also highlight how better land-use planning, stronger support from governments and policy makers, and listening to local voices can help build resilient communities, with practices such as cover crops.
The evening will also celebrate the power of collaboration between businesses, charities and individuals who believe that sustainable solutions create lasting impact. It will frame the circular economy as a model that eliminates waste and pollution while working within environmental limits. A circular approach can also regenerate nature, support biodiversity, and help protect land and waterways, and it can cut greenhouse gas emissions and pollution. In responsible food production, shorter urban supply chains reduce the environmental impact of food transportation, and consumers can support that through local choices. Agriculture accounts for 70% of freshwater withdrawals globally, the food system accounts for 34% of greenhouse gas emissions, and agricultural expansion drives 80% of native habitat loss globally.
Be Part of Something Bigger Through Community Engagement
Every ticket purchased helps move this project one step closer to reality.
By joining us at the Urban Farmer Project, you are not simply attending a fundraising event. You are helping create opportunities for education, supporting climate resilience, encouraging food waste solutions and investing in a future where communities have the knowledge and skills to thrive. Food has a vital role to play in tackling climate challenges, especially as global food demand is set to increase by 50% by 2050 and food production accounts for nearly 10% of the global economy. Meeting that challenge will require better planning and support from governments and policy makers.
As a social enterprise, Waste to Wonder Worldwide has always believed that environmental sustainability and social impact go hand in hand.
Plates with Purpose is another step on that journey.
We hope you will join us in the Fleet Street Quarter for Plates with Purpose and help turn an ambitious vision into a lasting legacy for communities in The Gambia.
Together, we can build stronger communities, support more sustainable food systems and demonstrate how collective action can create meaningful, lasting change. The burden should not fall on communities and farmers alone, and a more inclusive approach, supported by community empowerment can create jobs, grow prosperity and deliver wider public benefit.
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