A charity which uses leftover food from supermarkets to create meals for vulnerable people is coming to Mitcham, and needs your help.
The award winning FoodCycle, which already runs 24 projects across the UK since it began in 2008, including seven in London, save surplus food from being thrown out by supermarkets in order to create healthy, three-course meals.
It aims to help vulnerable groups, including the homeless, those on low incomes and people at risk from food poverty and social isolation.
The group are now looking for volunteers to help them bring the project to Mitcham, with available roles including cooking leader, fundraising co-ordinator and weekly volunteers.
Chief executive of FoodCycle, Mary McGrath, said: “We are so pleased that Merton will soon be running a weekly FoodCycle meal.
Two FoodCycle Peckham guests admire their food. Photo: Chris King
“For many of our guests, a FoodCycle meal is the one chance a week they have to sit down and share a meal with others, and I’d urge anyone who is interested in volunteering or visiting the project to get involved.”
In December, the FoodCycle Bristol project won the Green Community Group award at Bristol’s Green Capital Awards, which were held to recognise those who were working to make Bristol a more sustainable and liveable city.
The new project is due to open in conjunction with the Commonside Trust at the New Horizons Centre, off South Lodge Avenue in Mitcham, in March this year.
The Commonside Trust describes itself as “working to improve the lives and environment of people living in Merton” through the events and programmes run at its community centre.
Marketing and Communications Manager at FoodCycle, Clare Skelton, said: “We find the project works really really well, and we are most able to support vulnerable people, when we work with other groups in the community.
“FoodCycle are coming to Merton because the Commonside Trust think it would work well for their guests and clients. We should be able to have a positive impact on the community.”
FoodCycle Merton will be opening alongside new projects in Marylebone, Exeter, Peterborough and Lewisham, to bring the total number of projects up to 29.
To find out more about FoodCycle Merton, including volunteering opportunities, visit: http://foodcycle.org.uk/location/merton-hub-london/.
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