Kelvin Cheung, founder and CEO of FoodCycle, recently bumped into an ex-FoodCycler from way back – and was super excited about all the things she’s been up to since leaving her studies at LSE and also FoodCycle.

Here’s her story:

“I was a volunteer for FoodCycle in 2009 and was actually there during the first cook off in May.  In 2010, I became a Hub Manager at the LSE project. My role involved sourcing food at the Islington market and preparing meals weekly for a group of beneficiaries at the Holy Cross Centre Trust.  The entrepreneurial spirit and energy that I got from FoodCycle inspired me to do something different.”

What’s that you ask?

At the social innovation camp in July 2011, I started Room for Tea and have been project manager since then. Room for Tea is a new kind of home-sharing network: it connects guests in need of short-term, affordable accommodation in London with hosts who have spare capacity in their clean, comfortable homes.  In exchange for cheaper rents, the guests will help out around the house with chores and things like babysitting and the like.

Who is this for?

Well, everyone. But my motivation is to help aspiring interns and apprentices access affordable accommodation in London during their work experience, offering anyone, from anywhere, a fair chance at starting their dream career.

Why this?

This was one of the things I was very frustrated about when I was in London – trying to get a job in the charitable or international development sector.  One was expected to work for free, get a second job to pay the rent, and keep doing that until you got enough ‘experience’.  So I decided to do something about it, but tackling the other side of the issue – which was about offering affordable accommodation in a way that works for the host as well.

What’s next?

The first Room For Tea stays are now complete, and we have a posse of happy hosts and grateful guests. We’re looking for more hosts and guests to start in the summer?  Do you have a spare room? Fancy sharing your room with a friendly guest for a little while? Sign up here.

It’s all early days, but the initial response has been great!

“ Room For Tea is different from other home-sharing networks I’ve used, because my host was really open to the experience being about more than just rent, and I in turn was open to having more than just a place to stay. ”

Natalie – guest of Mike, Enfield.