FoodCycle, the charity that strives to make food poverty, loneliness and food waste a thing of the past for every community, will open its 18th Project in London next month. The new weekly meal will take place in Acton starting from Monday 5th June and is in need of volunteers from the local community.
Though FoodCycle meals are generally welcome to anyone who wants to come along, FoodCycle Acton will be a closed Project – providing members from the Happy Baby Community with a delicious vegetarian meal using food that would otherwise have gone to waste.
FoodCycle London and South East Area Manager Alix Guerber says:”We are thrilled to be opening up a Project in Acton and are working with the Happy Baby Community to provide a safe, welcoming space for their members to share great food and conversation. Our Projects rely on the kindness of volunteers to help run our service and we are asking for local residents who are willing to give up a few hours each week to get in touch with us.”
FoodCycle recently released a research report highlighting how ‘community dining’ is the answer to tackling loneliness and food insecurity. Written by social eating and community food systems expert, Dr Marsha Smith of Coventry University and supported by a survey of 2,000 people*. The survey found that near to 2 in 3 agree that not enough is being done by local councils to promote community dining projects. It also highlighted that we are a nation of solo diners, with 24% saying that they eat alone every day of the week, Yet, one in two believe mental health is benefited by eating together. In terms of hurdles to finding social connection, it found that 96% of the population have not heard of community dining projects but near to one in two would attend if one was available in their area.
FoodCycle Needs You
FoodCycle Acton is looking to recruit new volunteers and Project Leaders. Flexible volunteer roles without a minimum time commitment are open to anyone and include food collection, surplus food coordinators, cooking, hosting and running Projects.
Whether you’re a food waste warrior, a whizz in the kitchen or can’t wait to get chatting with guests, volunteering with FoodCycle is heaps of fun.
Chris, FoodCycle London Volunteer says; “It’s always lovely to see the smile on guests faces and the warm, welcoming atmosphere of our community meals. But also the energy and enthusiasm of our volunteers as we push ourselves to create and serve restaurant-quality meals.“
Without volunteers, FoodCycle cannot provide a vital service to the community who have come to rely on the chance to sit down to a free, three-course meal every week.
Opening on 5th June 2023, the free weekly meal at FoodCycle Acton will take place every Monday from 12.30pm to a closed group.
FoodCycle London Open Projects:
FoodCycle Wembley every Tuesday from 6.30pm at Park Lane Methodist Church, Park Lane, Wembley, London, HA9 7SG
FoodCycle Walthamstow every Thursday at 6.30pm at St Mary’s Welcome Centre on Church End, E17 9RH
FoodCycle Marylebone every Wednesday at 6pm at St Paul’s Church, 5 Rossmore Road, London, W1H 5AU
FoodCycle Wandsworth Road every Friday at 12.30pm at Christ Church Community Hall, 41 Union Grove, London, SW8 2QJ
FoodCycle Islington every Wednesday at 1pm at New River Baptist Church, 80 Arran Walk, London, N1 2TL
FoodCycle Peckham every Saturday at 5.30pm at All Saint’s Church, Blenheim Grove, London, SE15 4QS
FoodCycle Peckham every Wednesday at 5pm at All Saint’s Church, Blenheim Grove, London, SE15 4QS
FoodCycle Finsbury Park every Saturday at 1pm at Finsbury Park Community Hub, Corker Walk, London, N7 7RY
FoodCycle Hackney every Thursday at 12.30pm at New Kingshold Community Centre, 49 Ainsworth Road, London, E9 7LP
FoodCycle Kilburn every Saturday at 1pm at St. Cuthbert’s Parish Church, Fordwych Road, West Hampstead, London, NW2 3TN
FoodCycle Bow Road every Friday at 7pm at Bow Road Methodist Church, 1 Merchant Street, London, E3 4LY
FoodCycle White City every Saturday at 1pm at Our Lady of Fatima Parish Centre, Commonwealth Avenue, London, W12 7QR
FoodCycle Lewisham every Saturday at 1.15pm at Lewisham Irish Community Centre, 2A Davenport Road, London, SE6 2AZ
FoodCycle East Ham every Tuesday at 7pm at Pilgrims Way Church, Pilgrims Way, East Ham, London, E6 1HW
FoodCycle Woolwich every Friday at 12.30pm at Woolwich Common Community Centre, 17 Leslie Smith Square, London SE18 4DW
FoodCycle Thornton Heath every Saturday at 12.30pm at St Alban’s Church Hall, 1 Whitehorse Lane, London SE25 6RD
To sign up as a volunteer or for more information on FoodCycle visit http://www.foodcycle.org.uk/ or email acton@foodcycle.org.uk
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