National Volunteer Week (2 June – 6 June) is a big deal for most charities. FoodCycle is no exception. The national organisation, who work to make food poverty, loneliness and food waste a thing of the past, worked with 8,770 volunteers last year! We were delighted to have the opportunity to visit FoodCycle in Peckham on 4 June to see for ourselves how the organisation works.
Visiting the Peckham project for a firsthand FoodCycle experience
Our CEO Delva Patman, was joined by The Health Lottery CEO, Martin Ellice to experience the community meal environment for themselves and see some of the fantastic volunteers in action.
Delva said,
“Martin and I jumped at the chance to see for ourselves what FoodCycle do. We were impressed by the dedication, enthusiasm and hard work of all the volunteers. We want to thank the whole FoodCycle staff team for giving us such a warm welcome.”
Dishing up food and friendship for over 15 years
FoodCycle’s community meals create a place for togetherness and nutrition, helping to make positive social experiences for people alongside tackling food insecurity and social isolation.
Sophie Tebbetts, Chief Executive said,
“FoodCycle community meals are about so much more than what is on the plate. Whilst our incredible volunteers cook delicious and nutritious meals, having the opportunity to sit down and share a meal with others brings so many other benefits. Last year, we saw a 30% increase in people accessing our services and the number of people we serve continues to grow each week. Always cooked by local volunteers, FoodCycle community meals are nutritious, free, open to all, and made from food that would have otherwise gone to waste – helping both people and the planet. The eating experience offers a chance to meet new people, chat, make friends and feel part of the local community, reducing social isolation, food poverty, promoting inclusion and encouraging healthier, more sustainable eating habits.”
£15K from The Health Lottery players to support FoodCycle to feed the body and mind
Funding from The Health Lottery Foundation, will help over 100 communities across England and Wales deliver weekly meals for local vulnerable people. Each community meal works in the same way, a delicious three-course meal is served in a restaurant-style environment.
The food is prepared from surplus food donations and has three main volunteer roles – surplus food collection, cooking and hosting.
Joe, first came to FoodCycle as a guest and now volunteers he says:
“Losing my job and my dad really hit me, I ended up abusing substances, not eating, not going out, I wasn’t sleeping properly, I was so lonely, I hated the world. I hated everyone to be honest. I came to a point where I thought I can’t keep doing this, I need to do something, I need to get out and that’s when I found FoodCycle, the main thing I went to FoodCycle for, other than for food, was just to meet people. All the volunteers were very friendly, welcoming and it felt safe, it felt like a safe place. I picked up the good vibes there. I went there a couple of times to eat, and then after a few sessions I thought, I want to get more involved with this. So that’s when I started volunteering. I remember the first time I volunteered I left with such a buzz, like a high, better than any drug to be honest.”
The FoodCycle approach impressed The Foundation because it combines the practical element of dealing with food waste in combination with feeding people and tackling loneliness. Last year 8,770 volunteers donated an amazing 162,810 hours of their time to support FoodCycle. If you would like to know more about how to get involved with FoodCycle, visit their website and follow them on social media.
Website: www.foodcycle.org.uk
Instagram: @foodcyclehq
Facebook:@foodcycle
Linkedin:@foodcycle
TikTok:@foodcyclehq