Hot food a lifeline on cold night
Something wonderful is happening on the streets of Bath during lockdown, something really wonderful.
Every Wednesday night outside Nexus Methodist Church in London Road volunteers from the charity Food cycle make a hot, three course supper for around 60 homeless, vulnerable, lonely people or anybody struggling to make ends meet.
It is an incredible and moving scene happening on our streets every Wednesday night.
Young volunteers collect, prepare and make delicious suppers for the city’s most vulnerable people.
It was a cold, crisp early spring night last Wednesday as people started gathering outside the Nexus methodist church in Nelson Place at around 7pm.
Numbers are up during the pandemic, word has spread and everyone is welcome.
People from all walks of life, all struggling one way or another, queue patiently and distantly as the piping hot food is brought out in takeaway boxes.
Clients turn up with plastic bags to take away food for either themselves or shielding neighbours, some people leave a donation if they can afford it.
There is a wonderful atmosphere, most of the clients know each other and there is banter with the volunteers, a laugh and a joke in the cold night air.
Clients are very grateful, one woman told the Bath Chronicle these Wednesday nights are her lifeline, the only time she sees anyone.
She said the volunteers are wonderful, they never make you feel like you are a charity case.
It used to be a sit down supper but due to Covid it is now all takeaway and incredibly well organised and safe.
Food cycle treats its clients with dignity and respect.
They used to operate from Saint Mary’s church in Julian Road but demand was so great during the pandemic they had to move to larger premises.
A great deal of thought goes into the menu.
Last Wednesday night it was hot vegetable soup to start, creamy pasta with mushrooms for main course and creamy hot custard cheesecake for dessert.
And everyone got a lovely fresh cheese sandwich to take home for lunch the next day or for a late supper.
There are also bags of goodies, treats or extra food which clients can help themselves to.
It has to be vegetarian for health and hygiene purposes, and every box has to be labelled to warn about allergies etc.
It is long and hard work, but the food is cooked and prepared with great enthusiasm and without complaint.
It is a wonderful story of zero waste and food recycling.
At around 4.30pm every week volunteers collect unwanted food and donations from local supermarkets including Morrisons, M&S, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and some small businesses including The Fine Cheese Company in Walcot Street.
They get piles of fresh vegetables, fruit, pasta, fresh bread, eggs, cheese, milk, rice and cereal.
Based on what they get in, a team of chefs and kitchen hands decide on a menu after a long and seriously thought out meeting.
Their motto is zero waste so everything or almost everything is used, except items which can be either stored or frozen. Before Covid clients were seated in groups at specially laid out tables with fine tablecloths.
Now everything has to be packaged in takeaway boxes, clearly labelled.
It is a lot of extra effort, all volunteers wear full masks and maintain social distance but they manage without complaint, and for some of our most vulnerable people the pandemic has not meant losing this important supper evening.
■ To join in or volunteer with Food cycle visit www.foodcycle.org.uk/location/bath.