The Duchess of Sussex visited the community affected by the Grenfell Tower fire this morning to celebrate the success of her fund-raising cookbook.
Earlier this year Meghan, 37, collaborated with the women from the Hubb Community Kitchen in West London on Together: Our Community Cookbook.
It featured more than 50 recipes from women whose community was affected by the Grenfell Tower fire in June last year, which left 72 people dead.
Today the pregnant duchess is seeing how the funds raised by the book – which shot to the top of the literary charts – are already making a difference.
Meghan hugs Zaheera Sufyaan, who is part of the Hubb Community Kitchen in West London as she visits the centre today
Meghan warmly hugs Ms Sufyaan, the kitchen coordinator and one of her collaborators on the book
Meghan, whose first baby with Prince Harry is due in the spring, holds her bump today as she talks to chef Clare Smyth
Meghan, wearing a coat and dress by Club Monaco, was greeted by Abdurahman Sayed, from the Al Manaar Mosque
Meghan, wearing a coat and dress by Club Monaco, was greeted by Abdurahman Sayed, from the Al Manaar Mosque.
She also warmly hugged Zaheera Sufyaan, the kitchen coordinator and one of her collaborators on the book.
The Duchess of Sussex arrives at the Hubb Community Kitchen in North Kensington, West London, this morning
Together has sold more than 40,000 copies in the UK and raised £210,000 so far in the seven weeks since it went on sale.
They set out to raise £250,000 to renovate the kitchen and open it seven days a week and expect to easily surpass that, especially with Christmas coming up.
Supported by The Royal Foundation and published by Penguin Random House companies, Together has raised enough funds for the kitchen to be completely redesigned and re-fitted, with the women’s input, to capture what has been described as their ‘joyful spirit’.
Over the summer last year, a group of women gathered in a communal kitchen at the Al Manaar community centre, where they could prepare fresh food for their families, friends and neighbours affected by the disaster.
As they cooked together and shared recipes, as a community they began to connect, heal and look forward. Word spread and more women joined in – and this was the start of the Hubb kitchen.
The new facilities provide a safe and professional space for the women to cook, gather and run activities within their community. Previously the kitchen was only able to open two days a week due to funding.
But the women are now able to use the kitchen seven days a week, and have been trained to gain food hygiene qualifications and empowered to start their own projects, which will help others in their community benefit.
The Duchess, who has made regular private visits to the kitchen since January 2018, will meet the women as they prepare fresh meals for the local community in the newly renovated kitchen.
The women will be preparing 200 meals in just one day, to be delivered to local groups, including elderly people’s homes, homeless shelters and women’s refuges.
Together has sold more than 40,000 copies in the UK and raised £210,000 so far in the seven weeks since it went on sale
Meghan speaks to the chefs as she visits the community kitchen today to see how funds raised are making a difference
The Duchess arrives at the Hubb Community Kitchen today to see how the funds raised by the book are making a difference
The team set out to raise £250,000 to renovate the kitchen and open it seven days a week and expect to easily surpass that
They are also now working on their own projects including a group for women affected by domestic violence, a scheme to deliver nutritious, freshly cooked meals for women on maternity wards, and a project to produce healthy treats for children.
Meghan, whose first baby with her husband, Prince Harry, is due in the spring, will also hear about the women’s long-term vision for the kitchen, and how they hope to use future proceeds to reach out to more people in their community.
Kensington Palace said today that since the book was published in September, the ‘inclusive ethos of Together has resonated all over the world, and inspired people not just to buy the book, but to cook, eat and gather in their own communities’.
Together reached number one on Amazon.co.uk book chart within hours of being announced, and has appeared in the Sunday Times and New York Times Bestseller lists, selling tens of thousands of copies since its release.
Meghan worked with women from the kitchen on a community cookbook. A publicity photo from its release is pictured
Meghan poses for a picture previously with the Hubb Community Kitchen team for Together: Our Community Cookbook