How community kitchen has kept meals service going during pandemic
A COMMUNITY café has managed to carry on providing hot meals to people in the town despite coronavirus restrictions – by packing up takeaways.
Volunteer-run Ossie’s Kitchen, based at St Oswald’s Hall in Ashbourne, had been thriving ahead of the pandemic but was forced to close in March and the “social eating experience” initially became one of many group activities that had to close its doors - but following what organisers are calling a “reboot” in early July the café was back in business, providing free takeaway meals.
The two-course dinners have been a big hit and the kitchen team is now creating up to 85 meals a week. Team member Maggie Rode said: “We really did not know how well this would be received but we are delighted that we are now providing up to 85 meals each week.
“It has become usual for just less than half the meals to be ordered by folk who were guests at Ossie’s Kitchen when we were providing sit-down meals.
“The fact that they are consistently returning and being complimentary about the meals very much speaks for itself.”
Most of the meals are being ordered by famiilies through the town’s
ACE Youth Trust and children and adults have been sharing glowing feedback after tucking into their takeaways.
Organiser Nigel Rode said: “Our continued thanks go to the charity FareShare who, despite being under enormous pressure nationally, are managing to keep us supplied with produce each week which has been wonderfully complemented by the very much appreciated gifts of vegetables and fruit from the Ashbourne Allotment Holders.
“We are delighted to also give much thanks and acknowledgment to three of the Derbyshire Dales councillors for Ashbourne who granted a sum from their very limited Local Projects Fund, and Rural Action Derbyshire that helped to get the Take-Away service started with me meeting the Covid-19 requir requirements.
“A “Also to the National Lo Lottery who, through St Oswald’s Church, aw awarded a grant speci cifically to cover the co costs of professionally cle cleaning, to Covid 19 requ requirements, the church hall and kitchen, so ensuring th that we are continually operating in the highest of standards.
“These funds, together with the much appreciated weekly donations for meals and bags of shopping, means that the project continues to be sustainable at its present level and, if needed, has the capacity for further growth over the coming six months.
“None of this is possible without the wonderful support of our family of some 45 volunteers who each week, on a rota basis, prepare, cook and serve the meals and prepare shopping bags of produce, as well as delivering some of them and meals to folk not able to come and collect for themselves.”
Rev Duncan Ballard, priest in charge of St Oswald’s church, said: “All these are wonderful examples of God’s good grace and his working through and with people of Ashbourne - by the community for the community.”
To order a meal, call 07437 377345 with your meal options between 9am and noon on each Tuesday and a collection time slot between 4pm and 6pm from St Oswald’s Church Hall will be given. A local delivery service is also offered.
The meals and delivery are provided without charge, but suggested donations of £3 per adult and £1 per child will be welcomed by the volunteers.
Call 01335 664159.