Cooking Up Confidence: Help Us Inspire Hostel Residents

Hi,

I'm Charell, a proud team member at 2 Inspire Academy, and I’m launching this GoFundMe to support a project that’s close to my heart.

At just 19, I was living in a hostel myself. I found purpose through cooking starting with a small takeaway job, gaining my food hygiene and allergen certificates, and eventually building a career in catering. Now, I want to give others the same chance I had, to gain confidence, learn new skills, and get back on their feet.

Through 2 Inspire Academy, I’ve started running free cooking sessions in Manchester hostels, teaching residents how to make simple, budget-friendly meals. These sessions have already had a huge emotional impact, with people sharing their stories, building trust, and gaining a sense of hope.

But I want to do more.

I want to offer each resident:

A free Level 2 Food Hygiene & Allergen test (recognised nationwide)

Hands-on basic cooking skills training

A pathway to employment or further training in catering and hospitality

We’ve self-funded our pilot, but to grow this initiative and support more hostels across Manchester, we need your help.

Your donation will go toward:

Test and certificate fees for residents

Ingredients and equipment for sessions

Travel and outreach costs

Expanding the programme into more hostels

No one should feel stuck or forgotten. With the right support, a hot meal and a small opportunity can spark big change.

Please donate if you can, and share this page with others who believe in second chances and community empowerment.

Thank you for helping us cook up confidence and a better future — one meal at a time.

With gratitude,

Charell & the 2 Inspire Academy Team