A Month of Milestones at Lily's Social Kitchen

March has been a month to remember for Lily's Social Kitchen - and they're sharing the highlights.

The team's Hythe café, operated in partnership with Holiday Extra, has achieved a 5-star food hygiene rating. It's the kind of result that speaks to the consistency and professionalism running through every shift - and for the trainees involved, it's a real point of pride.

There's also a new corporate partner to celebrate. Handelsbanken has joined as a supporter, helping Lily's Social Kitchen continue creating meaningful opportunities for young people across Kent. Alongside this, a new dog walking network has launched, offering something a little different: connection, fresh air, and community wellbeing woven into the programme's wider offer.

And for anyone thinking about the future, placements are now open for the Supported Internship Programme starting this September. The programme is open to any young person aged 16-25 with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) who wants to build real work-ready skills and take their first steps towards employment.

As the team reflects on the month, there's a broader message worth sharing: hospitality is where a lot of careers begin. The skills developed in those early roles - teamwork, communication, time management, resilience, confidence - don't stay in the kitchen. They travel. Not every trainee who comes through Lily's Social Kitchen goes on to work in a café, but every one of them leaves better equipped for whatever comes next.

If you've ever thought this programme is just for young people who want to work in hospitality, it might be time to think again.

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