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Duchess Meghan and the Women of the Hubb Kitchen Are Helping Feed Hungry Families in London

When Duchess Meghan helped a group of women impacted by the devastating Grenfell Tower fire to launch their own cookbook in 2018, it empowered them to begin a lifetime of community-focused initiatives of their own. “Watching you all keep the momentum going has made me so proud,” she told them during a January visit.

And now, following a request from the Duchess of Sussex, the women of the Hubb Community Kitchen in London have launched a new service to help families struggling during the coronavirus lockdown. Starting Monday, the group of more than 17 women will begin batch-cooking 250 to 300 nutritious meals a day, three days a week, from their own homes.

“The spirit of the Hubb Community Kitchen has always been one of caring, giving back, and helping those in need, initially in Grenfell and now throughout the U.K.,” Meghan said in a statement shared with BAZAAR.com. “A home-cooked meal from one neighbor to another, when they need it most, is what community is all about.”

She adds, “I’m so proud of the women of the Hubb Community Kitchen, and the continued support the Felix Project gives them to carry out these acts of goodwill, which at this moment in time are urgently needed.”

The initiative has also received support from another charity close to the Sussexes. When Prince Harry spent time with the sports charity Street Games last February, he saw the potential for the women of the Hubb kitchen to collaborate with their “Fit and Fed” initiative, which tackles the holiday gap of hunger, inactivity, and isolation that young people from disadvantaged backgrounds often faced. Now, a network of volunteers from the charity will help deliver meals cooked by the Hubb women to the doorsteps of vulnerable Londoners.

Food redistribution charity The Felix Project, which has already launched an emergency response to the COVID-19 crisis, is also supporting efforts by supplying surplus produce collected from wholesalers, restaurants, and supermarkets. More than 175 crates of food (the equivalent of almost 5,000 meals) have already been donated to the group.

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Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan Deliver Meals to People with Life-Threatening Illnesses in Los Angeles

When Dan Tyrell received a delivery of prepared meals from Project Angel Food for himself and neighbor Becky Lincoln, who has type 1 diabetes, on Wednesday, he thought he recognized the masked volunteers dropping off the food. “I thought that tall red-headed guy looked pretty familiar, and that girl was pretty,” the West Hollywood local commented.

Moments later, after a glimpse of the nearby security guards and black SUVs, it clicked: The couple standing at his Los Angeles apartment complex was none other than Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan. BAZAAR.com understands that the couple have spent two days this past week volunteering with Project Angel Food, an outreach program that is now busier than ever delivering meals to at-risk people with life-threatening illnesses during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex first worked with the nonprofit organization on Easter Sunday, April 12, when they took to the roads to help deliver a week’s worth of prepared meals and emergency kits with nonperishables to dozens of people too sick to shop and cook for themselves.

“They told us they heard our drivers were overloaded and wanted to volunteer to lighten the drivers’ workload,” Project Angel Food’s executive director, Richard Ayoub, told WEHOville, a local news site serving the West Hollywood community. “It’s really, really amazing. We loved having them and they are the most down-to-earth people.”

The couple, who a source says “were properly distanced and followed all of the organization’s strong protective guidelines,” made more than 20 deliveries on April 15. Harry and Meghan were eager to volunteer after hearing how the charity—which is currently accepting donations—has been struggling to keep up with increase in demand due to the COVID-19 crisis. In the past month alone, Project Angel Food has seen more than 400 new people sign up to receive services.

A source close to the Sussexes tells BAZAAR.com, “In many places, volunteers—which are needed now more than ever—are serving incredibly long hours to support others. The couple is grateful for all of those volunteers, and inspired by the frontline workers, essential workers, and people everywhere who are committed to responding to needs of their communities in this crisis.”

Project Angel Food was founded during the height of the AIDS crisis in 1989 to provide food and connection to those suffering with the disease and living in fear. Since then, the organization has gone on to serve millions of people suffering from a wide range of life-threatening illnesses. The nonprofit currently cooks and delivers more than 600,000 nutritious meals a year in the Los Angeles County area.

Source: https://www.harpersbazaar.com

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Meghan Markle & Prince Harry Give Their New Nonprofit A Name
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Meghan Markle & Prince Harry Give Their New Nonprofit A Name

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle might have resigned as royals, but the couple has no trouble staying in the news.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex had planned to use SussexRoyal as a branding tool for their global endeavors, but that idea was pooh-poohed by Buckingham Palace. Now they have settled on a moniker for their nonprofit organization: Archewell.

The moniker invokes the name of their son — Archie — spiced with some Greek. The couple said in a statement:

“Like you, our focus is on supporting efforts to tackle the global COVID-19 pandemic but faced with this information coming to light, we felt compelled to share the story of how this came to be. Before SussexRoyal, came the idea of ‘Arche’ — the Greek word meaning ‘source of action.’ We connected to this concept for the charitable organization we hoped to build one day, and it became the inspiration for our son’s name.

“To do something of meaning, to do something that matters. Archewell is a name that combines an ancient word for strength and action, and another that evokes the deep resources we each must draw upon.”

The couple had planned to keep the name secret until they made an announcement, but enterprising reporters at The Telegraph found it at the U.S Patent and Trademark Office, where a filing was made last month.

Source: https://deadline.com/

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Inside Duchess Meghan’s Emotional Farewell to Royal Life at a Private Engagement
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Inside Duchess Meghan’s Emotional Farewell to Royal Life at a Private Engagement

It was supposed to be a quiet day off in the countryside until my phone went berserk—the staccato buzz I set for palace correspondence almost sending it off the table. “His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales is delighted to announce the engagement of Prince Harry to Ms. Meghan Markle,” the November 27, 2017, email read, followed by a note inviting royal correspondents to join the couple for a special photo call to mark the occasion. A few road rules may have been bent to make the 80-ish mile drive from Oxfordshire to Kensington Palace—in traffic—but it was worth it. Standing by the lily-covered Sunken Pond as Harry shared his joy at finally finding his teammate, it was the perfect start to a chapter that would finally bring the royal family into the 21st century.

Over the months and years that followed, I closely shadowed the work of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, getting to know the couple better through their humanitarian endeavors, engagements, and overseas visits. Their high-energy work ethic and passion for social justice attracted a new, more diverse demographic of royal watcher to the scene. As a young(ish), biracial royal correspondent, the change was exciting. And as their popularity grew around the world, so did a new golden era for the House of Windsor. Continue reading Inside Duchess Meghan’s Emotional Farewell to Royal Life at a Private Engagement

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Duchess Meghan Discusses Gender Equality and Violence Against Indigenous Women During Vancouver Charity Visit
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Duchess Meghan Discusses Gender Equality and Violence Against Indigenous Women During Vancouver Charity Visit

With the Sussexes continuing to be a trending topic around the world, Duchess Meghan is making sure that the spotlight remains firmly fixed on what matters most—their work.

The Duchess of Sussex began a series of visits to community-focused women’s charities close to the couple’s temporary Vancouver Island home this week, stopping by at an organization that has spent the past 21 years promoting rights and equality for young girls.

Justice For Girls was one of a few visits made by Meghan to local charities and organizations in Vancouver on Tuesday, January 14, after a Sussex aide reached out to share that the duchess finds their work “credible and compelling” and was eager to learn more.

Over tea (and note taking), Meghan spent an hour listening to stories from staff at the non-profit organization and spoke to the group about her commitment to advancing gender equity and other women’s issues. “We were very moved by the duchess visiting us despite terrible weather conditions in Vancouver and her very recent arrival,” co-director Zoe Craig-Sparrow tells BAZAAR.com. “We were struck by how engaged and informed she was on the issues we discussed, and how quickly and gracefully she put us at ease.”

“She was well-informed about the rights of girls and women and the need to challenge social inequality in a way that is holistic and global,” adds Craig-Sparrow. “Some of the issues we talked about included violence against girls; poverty and how it impacts access to education; girls’ rights in relation to the environment; leadership globally on issues of social and environmental justice; parallels between the struggles of girls in Canada with girls around the world; the need to approach social change in a holistic [and] integrated way, and how our proposed Justice for Girls Center aims to do just that.”

One of the key topics discussed during the meeting was Canada’s current and ongoing epidemic of violence against Indigenous girls and women, which has seen over 4,000 Indigenous women murdered or go missing across the country in the past 30 years. “This work is critically important in Canada where the impacts of colonization continue to harm indigenous girls and women through epidemic violence, social and economic inequality, environmental racism and denial of the rights of Indigenous peoples,” explains Craig-Sparrow, who was born and raised on Vancouver’s only First Nations band government, the Musqueam Indian Band.

Founded in 1999, Justice For Girls was created to address the needs and vulnerabilities of girls, particularly in relation to homelessness, poverty, and violence. As the charity underlines, true equality can only exist once these issues have been eliminated.

On the same day, Meghan also paid a visit to the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre, which provides a safe space offering everything from meals to internet access to women and children in one of Vancouver’s poorest areas.

For the the women working at Justice For Girls, Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan’s plans to spend substantial time in the region makes for an exciting time. Says Craig-Sparrow, “[Meghan] will bring her commitment and intelligence to the issues she cares about, especially the rights of women and girls, and will use her position to help.”

Source: https://www.harpersbazaar.com

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Filed in Association of Commonwealth Universities Royal Tour Royal Tour: South Africa Royal Visit

Photos & Roundup: October 01 – Royal Visit South Africa – Day 9

On the final leg of The Duke and Duchesses tour of South Africa, The Duchess of Sussex travelled to Johannesburg for a number of education themed engagements.

UNIVERSITY OF JOHANNESBURG: Meghan’s first stop was to the University of Johannesburg in her role as Patron of The Association of Commonwealth Universities. The Association of Commonwealth Universities is the world’s first international university network, and is the only accredited organisation representing higher education across the Commonwealth. The ACU manages international scholarship schemes, including The Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships, and convenes universities to address key policy challenges such as gender and equity, climate resilience, and peace and reconciliation.

During her visit The Duchess of Sussex attended a round-table discussion at the University joining students and educators who openly discussed challenges for girls gaining access to university. Meghan also revealed three new gender grants for the University of Johannesburg, Stellenbosch University and the University of Western Cape. Of which the grant for Stellenbosch will fund a ‘unique campus walking route’ designed to make both men and women feel safer at university. Duchess Meghan also revealed four new Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships for students from Tanzania, Zambia and Nigeria.

ACTIONAID: Next, The Duchess of Sussex visited a local school in Johannesburg to meet with representatives from ActionAid to discuss a range of issues including gender based and sexual violence in schools. Prince Charles is currently the Patron of ActionAid, a charity that is working to achieve social justice and gender equality, and working to eradicate poverty. Focusing specifically on women right’s which is a thread throughout their work. One of the projects Action Aid works with is the Teddy Bear Clinic, which provides essential support to children and families affected by domestic and sexual abuse. After the meeting with representatives The Duchess traveled privately to meet young girls who are being supported by ActionAid and The Teddy Bear Clinic.

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Behind the scenes with Meghan Markle: Duchess tells Bryony Gordon how vulnerability is one of humanity’s greatest strengths

Back from her African tour, the Duchess of Sussex pays a visit to a project for disadvantaged women – and tells Bryony Gordon how she encouraged Prince Harry to speak openly about his mental health

In a small, sparse room at the back of a bakery on the urban streets of Camden, north London, the Duchess of Sussex is comforting a crying woman.

Tanya’s tears fall over the scars that will remain on her cheeks for the rest of her life; stark reminders of the violent ex partner who is now serving a lengthy prison sentence after he stabbed her repeatedly.

Tanya is explaining what this, the bakery that doubles as a social enterprise, has done for her since that terrible day back in 2016. By a cruel twist of fate it was International Women’s Day when her attacker lay in wait for her outside the doors of the London university she was studying at.

Tanya had been a victim of domestic violence for a decade. “Society judges women for staying in abusive relationships,” she says to me and the Duchess. “But I don’t ever feel judged here. I feel I can be free. I feel I can be myself.”

Here is the Luminary Bakery, a small, grass roots organisation that helps to empower disadvantaged women through training and employment opportunities.
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Photos & Roundup: September 23 – Royal Visit South Africa – Day 1
Filed in Charities Gallery Updates Queen's Commonwealth Trust Royal Baby Royal Tour Royal Tour: South Africa

Photos & Roundup: September 23 – Royal Visit South Africa – Day 1

NYANGA TOWNSHIP: The first stop on the tour was to the township of Nyanga, whose name means ‘moon’ in the local dialect of Xhosa, it is one of the oldest black townships in Cape Town and was established in 1946 as a result of the migrant labor system. At present time unemployment is above 50 per cent and HIV/Aids is a community issue. The community also has the highest murder rate in the country and tops the lists for car jackings and house robberies. Last year there were a reported 308 murders.

In this town The Duke and Duchess visited the Justice Desk initiative, which teaches children about their rights, self-awareness and safety, and provides self-defense classes and female empowerment training to young girls in the community. The Justice Desk is supported by The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust, of which Harry serves as President and Meghan as Vice-President. While there the Duke and Duchess met Jessica Dewhurst, Justice Desk Founder and Queen’s Young Leader, Theodora Luthuli, Justice Desk Community Leader, and Sylvia Hobe, Theodora’s mother and the center’s founder. Harry and Meghan observed the Mbokodo project which provides self-defense classes and female empowerment workshops to young girls who are overcoming major traumas. This project’s powerful motto is “wathint’ abafazi wathint’ imbokodo” which means “you strike a woman; you strike a rock” before getting the chance to talk with the girls.

Following the tour of the center, Harry and Meghan both made fantastic speeches which you can view here. Meghan said in part: “While I am here with my husband as a member of the Royal Family, I am here with you as a mother, as a wife, as a woman, as a woman of color, and as your sister. I am here with you and I am here for you.” The couple were then presented with a South African Xhosa name for their son Archie, “Ntsika” which means pillar of strength which was given to him by the township’s godmothers, referred to as Gogo’s. In a fun spontaneous moment at the end of the engagement Meghan joined in with the women who were dancing upon their departure. I’m sure this moment will be a favorite of many today.

DISTRICT SIX MUSEUM: In their second engagement of the day The Duke and Duchess of Sussex visited the District Six Museum. District Six Museum is located in an old Methodist church in the former inner-city residential area. The District Six Foundation was founded in 1989 and the museum in 1994, as a memorial to the forced movement of 60,000 inhabitants of various races in District Six during Apartheid in South Africa in the 1970s. The Duke and Duchess toured the museum viewing the old traffic signs, exhibits of historical moments and lives of families from the area, historical declarations, exhibits about the demolition, and hand written notes of former inhabitants, which indicate where their houses were located.

After a short walkabout, Harry and Meghan went to the nearby Homecoming Centre where they joined former residents of District Six in a community cooking workshop. The Duke and Duchess were treated to food cooked by local women that showed a variety of recipes. This engagement goes hand in hand with Meghan’s work with the Hubb Kitchen back in London, which showcases the importance of how cooking can bring a community together. It was reported that Meghan did indeed gift the local women a copy of her ‘Together’ cookbook.

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Appearances & Engagement Photos > Engagements in 2019 > South Africa Tour > September 23 | South Africa Tour – Day 1 – Set 1
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September 12 – Smart Works Capsule Collection Launch
Filed in Charities Gallery Updates Smart Works

September 12 – Smart Works Capsule Collection Launch

Today, September 12, 2019 The Duchess of Sussex along with her patronage Smart Works launched the Smart Works Capsule Collection in London on the rooftop garden of John Lewis & Partners.

The collection brought together fashion & retail brands, Jigsaw, John Lewis & Partners, Marks & Spencer and Misha Nonoo to create a five piece collection of work wear that includes shirts, trousers, blazers, dresses and bags.

The idea for the collection came after Meghan noticed that while donations to Smart Works were plentiful the sizes weren’t always right or the pieces didn’t always fit together.

With this new collection for every item bought, one will be donated to Smart Works.

In a statement released before the launch, Meghan said:

“Since moving to the UK, it has been deeply important to me to meet with communities and organisations on the ground doing meaningful work and to try to do whatever I can to help them amplify their impact.

It was just last September that we launched the ‘Together’ cookbook with the women of the Hubb Kitchen in Grenfell. Now, one year later, I am excited to celebrate the launch of another initiative of women supporting women, and communities working together for the greater good.

When you buy any item in the Smart Set Capsule Collection for Smart Works, the same item will be given to a Smart Works client, and with it, the confidence and support she needs to enter the workforce and take an important step in building a career.

Thank you to the four brands who came together in supporting Smart Works on this special project – placing purpose over profit and community over competition. In convening several companies rather than one, we’ve demonstrated how we can work collectively to empower each other – another layer to this communal success story, that I am so proud to be a part of.”

Meghan also gave a wonderful six minute speech at the launch which you can watch above.

Buy The Items: M&S COLLECTION Crepe Shift Dress | John Lewis & Partners Leather Smart Set Tote Bag (SOLD OUT) | Jigsaw Smart Set Paris Trouser | Jigsaw Smart Set Paris Seam Detail Jacket | Misha Nonoo The Smart Set Shirt

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Meghan Markle Makes a Surprise Appearance at a Photo Shoot and She Couldn’t Look Happier
Filed in Charities Smark Works

Meghan Markle Makes a Surprise Appearance at a Photo Shoot and She Couldn’t Look Happier

Meghan Markle shared a glimpse of her highly-anticipated charity capsule collection of work-appropriate attire in two Instagram Story videos today.

The clips show the royal-turned-designer behind the scenes at a photo shoot promoting her range of work attire, which launches this autumn. In the footage, the duchess is seen hugging models, working with photographers, and smiling proudly from the sidelines.

“Meghan surprised everyone at Smart Works when she showed up for the shoot, ” which took place today in London, a source tells BAZAAR.com.

Following the theme of office-inspired fashion, Meghan wore a blue and white striped button-down shirt by Frank & Eileen, skinny jeans, and nude pumps for the shoot.
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Duchess Meghan is collaborating with the brands Marks & Spencer, John Lewis, Jigsaw, and Misha Nonoo for the collection. The initiative will support the charity Smart Works, one of her royal patronages, which helps women entering the workforce by helping them dress for jobs or prepare for interviews.

The pieces in Meghan’s capsule will sell on a “one-for-one” basis, meaning an item is donated for each item purchased. “Not only does this allow us to be part of each other’s story, it reminds us we are in it together,” the Duchess of Sussex explained in British Vogue in July, when she first unveiled the project.

Source: https://www.harpersbazaar.com/

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Meghan Markle Is Launching a Collection of Workwear for a Good Cause
Filed in Charities News Smart Works

Meghan Markle Is Launching a Collection of Workwear for a Good Cause

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, is on a roll with her fashionable projects this week. Days after revealing that she guest edited the September issue of British Vogue, Meghan has announced that she’s launching a capsule collection of workwear to benefit her royal patronage Smart Works, a charity that benefits disadvantaged and unemployed women who are entering or returning to the workforce.

Meghan broke the news in her British Vogue issue, according to royal reporter Omid Scobie. She recruited an impressive set of collaborators for the project: British department stores Marks & Spencer and John Lewis, the brand Jigsaw, and her close friend and fashion designer Misha Nonoo.

The collection will launch later this year and will be sold on a “one-for-one basis,” meaning an item is donated for each item purchased. “Not only does this allow us to be part of each other’s story, it reminds us we are in it together,” Meghan explained in the magazine.

The duchess became the royal patron of Smart Works in January and had a public engagement at the headquarters that month. During her visit, she helped style one woman for a job interview.

Meghan said during her trip, “It’s not just donating your clothes and seeing where they land, it’s really being part of each other’s success stories as women.”

Smart Works has grown quickly ever since Duchess Meghan became involved. In February, the organization helped 187 women in London, which is almost 50 percent more than it assisted in the same month last year. Considering the ever-persistent “Meghan effect,” the phenomenon of an article of clothing selling out after the duchess wears it in public, we can only imagine the impact her upcoming collection will have on Smart Works.

Source: https://www.harpersbazaar.com/

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