By Dame Natalia Middleton
A few months ago, LDE London member Kate Howell made a meaningful connection that has blossomed into something truly special. Through the LDE network, Kate introduced fellow members Lucy and Natalia from Food Behind Bars to Stephanie Jackson of DK Publishing — a simple introduction that quickly turned into an inspiring partnership.
Food Behind Bars had been reaching out to the hospitality community in search of second-hand or donated cookery and gardening books to support their work across prisons. After an initial conversation with Stephanie, where the team shared more about their mission and how the books would be used, DK Publishing came back with a remarkably generous offer— a curated selection of titles thoughtfully tailored to the needs of each partner prison.
Food Behind Bars currently works with a range of prisons across the men’s, women’s, and young offender estates, each with its own unique context and priorities. The bespoke selection from DK ensures that every site receives books that are relevant, engaging, and truly useful for their residents.
Recently, Lucy was also invited to deliver a presentation to the entire DK Publishing team. The session gave staff the chance to learn more about Food Behind Bars’ projects, hear powerful stories of impact, and see firsthand how their contribution supports real change. Feedback from DK has been overwhelmingly positive — the team loved Lucy’s presentation and are now even more enthusiastic about the collaboration.
A huge thank you goes to Kate for sparking the connection, and to Stephanie and the DK Publishing team for their generosity and support. It’s moments like these that show the power of the LDE London community — where shared values, collaboration, and kindness lead to tangible impact.