food for good.

A group of four people standing in front of a large green ornate door. From left to right: a young woman with curly blonde hair wearing a leopard print top and blue jeans, an older man with white hair and beard wearing a green jacket, a woman with wavy blonde hair wearing a black coat, and a woman with short hair wearing a floral patterned top and headband, all smiling.

The Shared Plate was founded in 2018 by Niaomh Convery and Megan Nash, after years of living and working in communities where food, learning and connection went hand in hand. Their time at Embercombe, a centre for sustainability and leadership, and their involvement with Lifebeat, supporting young people through residential experiences, shaped their belief in the power of experiential learning — learning by doing, creating and being alongside each other.

Through these experiences, they saw how food could build confidence, spark conversation, and create a sense of belonging across differences. The Shared Plate grew from that understanding: a way to bring together ethical catering and meaningful community programmes, using food as a tool for connection, creativity and resilience.

In 2019, Annie Duckworth joined the team after first taking part in Chop ’n’ Chat. With her passion for food, people and community, Annie quickly became a driving force in the organisation, helping to shape and deliver the programmes that sit at the heart of The Shared Plate today.

At the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, we opened our community kitchen and restaurant space in Mumbles — just as the world shut down. During this time, The Shared Plate adapted to meet urgent local need, preparing and serving over 11,000 meals for people experiencing homelessness, vulnerable community members and NHS staff. It was a challenging period, but one that strengthened our commitment to using food as a way to care for our community in times of crisis.

Since then, The Shared Plate has continued to work with people from all walks of life — young people, families, refugees and asylum seekers, and community groups — always creating spaces where people feel welcome, capable, and part of something shared.

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Our Team

NIaomh Convery

Co Founder & Director

Niaomh leads The Shared Plate’s community programmes, creative delivery & catering, bringing together seasonal cooking, facilitation and food justice. She has been cooking since the day she stepped into a kitchen aged nine, and her background spans high-end hospitality and community food projects — from cooking at The Camberwell Arms (London) to refugee community work in Greece. Living & working at Embercombe (a centre for sustainability and leadership) shaped her approach to seasonal food, community building and learning through doing. With over 15 years’ experience in community facilitation, she’s deeply passionate about food equality and the power of shared meals to change lives — building confidence, connection and resilience.

A woman with blond, wavy hair smiling, wearing a black blazer and jewelry, standing in front of a large, aged green metal door with decorative details.

Annie Duckworth

Annie leads on the delivery of The Shared Plate’s community programmes. She first connected with the project through Chop ’n’ Chat, and quickly became part of the heart of the organisation — known for her calm, welcoming presence and her ability to make people feel at ease in the kitchen.

An experienced facilitator with a passion for seasonal, nourishing food, Annie plays a central role in expanding our flagship Chop ’n’ Chat sessions and supporting new partnerships across Swansea. This year she is helping to deliver a new women’s health programme, using shared cooking as a way to build wellbeing, confidence and connection.

Director & Community Programme Lead
A woman with curly blonde hair smiling at the camera, wearing a black and leopard print dress with a gold necklace, standing in front of a vintage green door.

CYdney Whiley

Media Coordinator & Facilitator

Cydney is our Media Coordinator, leading on social media, storytelling and community fundraising for The Shared Plate. Cyd has been part of the project for the past five years and is one of the true backbones of the organisation — always bringing enthusiasm, care and a can-do spirit wherever she’s needed. Alongside communications, she supports Front of House and programme delivery, and is constantly exploring innovative ways to strengthen our reach and champion our programmes.

We’re excited to see Cydney stepping into a Lead Facilitator role in the coming months as her role continues to grow.

A close-up portrait of an older man with white hair and beard, wearing a black turtleneck and an olive green jacket, standing outdoors in front of a green fence.

Ian Convery

Lead Facilitator, Programme Development & Chef

Ian brings over 40 years of experience in the food and care sectors to The Shared Plate. From his first job as a butcher at 14 to his later work as a children’s home manager, Ian has always been passionate about both people and good food. His career reflects a lifelong commitment to supporting others through practical skills, care, and connection.

At The Shared Plate, Ian is a vital part of the team, offering wisdom, steadiness and perspective across our catering and community work. He recently designed our newest programme, Living Solo, Living Well, which supports older men to build confidence around healthy cooking and wellbeing — using food as a gateway to independence, connection and resilience.

Are you passionate about the power of food? We are always looking for freelance facilitators and volunteers to join our team. Think this is you?

Get in touch!