Design agency Free The Birds has developed a logo and brand identity for a new charity The KidzCafe London. Created by Julian Bowyer, the former head of brand building at beauty multinational company COTY has launched the London-based charity initiative to address the stark issue of child hunger and malnutrition during the coronavirus lockdown.

The KidzCafe London was launched to feed kids in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets with daily, nutritional meals while schools are closed during the lockdown. Initial funding through a Just Giving page helped kickstart the project; and The KidzCafe has surpassed its initial projection to feed 100 kids per day over four weeks, having provided 2000+ free meals to date.

Working on a pro bono basis, Free The Birds used a rainbow – the children’s universal symbol of hope – as the inspiration for the identity. By flipping the rainbow upside down and shaping it to form a collection of stacked bowls with a knife and fork in the top it creates what Free The Birds calls “The Bowls of Happiness”.

Nick Vaus, Partner and Creative Director at Free The Birds, said: “We wanted to build the identity for The KidzCafe, using a symbol that children across the UK have been drawing during self-isolation. This symbol has become a beacon of hope and community. A simple rotation and the rainbow becomes a smile, and also a bowl. Brightly stacked bowls gives the impression of fun and informality around meal times’

Bowyer, a passionate cook, launched The KidzCafe with 100% of all donations going towards food costs, plus fun games and treats. He said: “Recent data published by Unicef shows one in five youngsters under 15 in the UK now live in a food insecure home. Our meals are kid-friendly, super-tasty and fun to eat. A healthy ‘happy-meal’ moment for these kids who are often at risk, in unsafe home environments and going hungry on a daily basis.”

The KidzCafe, initially used kitchen facilities generously provided by Billingsgate Seafood School, but has since moved to Spotlight Community Centre in Langdon Park, run by Poplar HARCA – to be closer to the community. The facility enables The KidzCafe team to maintain strict hygiene standards and physical distancing for volunteers.