Accumul8 Award

A creative culinary enterprise run in partnership with YMCA North London has earned a prestigious stamp of approval by the Prime Minister for helping homeless and vulnerable young people get ahead in life.

The Accumul8 Preserves with a Purpose project has been awarded a Points of Light Award for making and selling an array of jams and chutneys, with all profits ploughed into funding creative activities and training courses to help less fortunate people get ahead in life. Handcrafted by residents, the project uses fruit donated by the local community’s gardens and allotments, helping the environment by reducing landfill.

One of the projects benefiting from funds generated by the Accumul8 scheme is a weekly workshop that teaches residents photography skills as a way of opening up opportunities, reconnecting them with a positive education, experience and brightening futures. Through the project participants learn and practise various photography skills, documenting their progress in a blog they have designed themselves. The programme culminates in a Level Two Award in Photography from Ravensbourne College and a public exhibition of the participants’ work.

In a letter to Accumul8 Project Director Marice Cumber, Prime Minister David Cameron, said: “Accumul8 is an excellent example of how social enterprise can tackle social issues in our communities. Your work is innovative and engaging and Accumul8 ‘preserves with purpose’ are making a real difference to the lives of young people in the North London YMCA.”

Marice Cumber, who set up Accumul8 in 2013, said in response to her award: “I am delighted that Accumul8 has received official recognition of its vital work helping homeless young people transform their lives. The ultimate goal is to encourage participants to fulfil their potential – whether that is in education, employment or vocational training – and help increase their confidence, sense of self-worth and improve communication and team skills. All of these will help them on their journey towards independence and a brighter future.”