MEGHAN Markle rolled up her sleeves to help out at a community kitchen run by families affected by the Grenfell disaster for her first solo project as a member of the royal family.

The Duchess of Sussex visited the kitchen in January and has made a number of other private trips to the Hubb Community Kitchen to meet volunteers and learn more about their work. 

She has also written the foreword to a new book 'Together: Our Community Cookbook', produced by the women who run the initiative, which says:  "I immediately felt connected to this community kitchen; it is a place for women to laugh, grieve, cry and cook together.

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"Melding cultural identities under a shared roof, it creates a space to feel a sense of normalcy - in its simplest form, the universal need to connect, nurture, and commune through food, through crisis or joy - something we can all relate to.

"Through this charitable endeavour, the proceeds will allow the kitchen to thrive and keep the global spirit of community alive."

The Herald:

Some of the recipes are family favourites and all have been created by the cooks who support not only residents affected by the Grenfell fire but others in the community.

Ms Markle helped put the group in touch with a publisher and her Royal Foundation provided assistance with legal and administrative issues.
All proceeds will go back to the Hubb, and the book will be available in stores this week.

The Herald:

In the introduction, the women of the Hubb Community Kitchen write: "Our kitchen has always been a place of good food, love, support and friendship.

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"We cook the recipes we've grown up with; there's no stress, and the recipes always work because they have been made so many times - it's proper comfort food."

The dishes described in the book are the women's own personal recipes from across Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and the eastern Mediterranean.

The Herald:

The Royal Foundation is administering the transfer of funds from the sale of the book to the Hubb Community Kitchen and related projects.

The Duchess revealed in February, during the inaugural The Royal Foundation Forum, how she had already been working in secret on her first royal project.

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When host BBC presenter and Radio 1 newsreader Tina Daheley asked Meghan, who moved to London in November following the announcement of her engagement to Harry, if she was able to divulge what projects she is working on, she revealed: "Sadly, I can’t. But it’s 'to be continued’."