Stichting Antilopespoor from Maarssen won the Kern met Pit Trophy 2025 with their plan to bring single neighbors together at the table to improve mutual contact. In total, ten initiatives competed for this prestigious award, all aiming to give the neighborhood a new impulse and increase connectedness.

The Stichting Antilopespoor consists of seven involved residents who joined forces to bring mainly single neighbors in the Maarssenbroek district together at the table for an affordable three-course meal. The goal is to connect these people with each other, so that mutual help increases, loneliness decreases, and more connection arises. Last year, they cooked seven times for a total of 80 people and new friendships were formed. The foundation will continue this project in 2026 and has already started a second dining group.

Chairman of the jury, Rob van Muilekom, deputy of the province of Utrecht with portfolio including Vital society: Choosing was difficult due to the many beautiful initiatives. We see how much strength there is in residents who take the initiative themselves. That is essential for vital and livable cores. Kern met Pit shows how cooperation in neighborhoods grows when politics dares to give space. The winning social project makes an impact by paying extra attention to people who need it and ensures that more and more people participate.

Kern met Pit day

At the annual Kern met Pit day, all initiators get the chance to share their projects with the expert jury. The diversity of initiatives is surprisingly large every year: from organizing a regional market or an outdoor cinema to making mosaic benches for the neighborhood. Residents of the province of Utrecht cast their vote online for the initiative that appeals to them most. In addition, an expert jury evaluates the projects. This years jury consists of: Anne Kesler (director-manager K.F. Heinsfonds), Rob van Muilekom (deputy province of Utrecht) and Kai Kollen (representative winner Kern met Pit 2024).

Prize

Afterwards, all initiators were proudly rewarded with an honorable prize: the predicate Kern met Pit and 1,000 euros to further their project. A well-deserved recognition for all neighborhood initiatives that worked with pleasure and passion last year to realize their dreams and wishes for the neighborhood. Besides the coveted trophy, the winner also received an additional prize of 1,500 euros.

We do it together festival

On Friday, May 29, 2026, AanTafel! will present itself together with other neighborhood initiatives from all over the Netherlands at the national Kern met Pit festival, hoping to win the Golden Pit. This prize, worth 3,000 euros, is awarded to the best initiative in the Netherlands.

Kern met Pit helps

Kern met Pit helps residents realize their wishes for the neighborhood by providing free support from advisors of Katalys, the organizer of this annual event. The initiatives must make the neighborhood or village cosier, more active, cleaner or greener. The province of Utrecht stimulates ideas to give the neighborhood an impulse and is therefore a proud partner of Kern met Pit.

Subsidies for a vital society

Besides being a partner of Kern met Pit, the province of Utrecht offers several subsidy schemes for residents who have ideas for the rural area and improving the living environment. The subsidies can be found via: Subsidies | province of Utrecht.

For press information:
jytte.reichert@provincie-utrecht.nl
06 18 54 01 37