‘It’s difficult for me to get out and I struggle quite a lot’
“Some people won’t take it because they want something with meat in and that’s completely their choice, but if anybody needs the food, it’s open to them and most people are extremely appreciative,” she says.
“We get many phone calls where people are in tears, giving their gratitude,
Janet Mullen, 64
Janet, right, heard about the meal deliveries from her housing association and she’s enjoyed the food so much that she’s now given up meat altogether.
“It’s difficult for me to get out and I struggle quite a lot,” explains Janet, who says just seeing the volunteer delivery people gives her a boost.
She’s classed as vulnerable with mobility issues and disabilities including brittle bone disease and osteoarthritis. She’d been due to have a hip replacement before the coronavirus crisis hit.
“I was never a great meat-eater, but don’t eat meat at all now since I’ve been having the meals. I’ve felt so well in myself, not just physically but mentally as well. I’ve really appreciated it.
“My dietician says I should eat protein, but you can get it in other things as well.
“I have three meals a week because I have somebody who will do some shopping for me, but it’s nice to have a hot meal.
“My electric hob doesn’t work, so it’s all microwave and the meals come in really handy. If I don’t eat them straight away, I put them in the microwave later on.”
not just for giving them food but also showing we care, that there’s someone there who cares about them.
“Especially if you’re in isolation and not seeing anyone, the mind can go in difficult places and it can get very lonely, so to reach out to people is another reason why we’re doing it. It’s not just about feeding people, it’s to show people we’re there for them.”
Head chef Parjanya is a full-time volunteer who’s originally from France. Before the lockdown, the most he’d cooked for was 50 people, now he’s producing meals for close to 1,000 people a day.
The atmosphere in the temple is very different to the kind of places we see in TV programmes like Hell’s Kitchen, says Kim.
“Everyone is very gentle and soft,” says Kim. “It’s a very peaceful kitchen. It’s almost like a meditative practice. You see this big pot which is at least a metre deep and wide, a giant spoon that pushes all the vegetables, you see the concentration, there’s no anger. That’s part of the process, actually, cooking with a good consciousness.
“Whatever you do, if your consciousness is good, it’ll be absorbed into what you’re doing, the food will absorb it and, when people eat, they’ll feel a difference.”
Alongside the spirituality, the community has needed to be very conscious of staying healthy themselves and keeping a distance between those involved. That’s made easier in the bigger kitchen at the temple rather than at the previous one in Ty Krishna, says Kim.
“We’ve got set spots where people sit which are over 2m distance and noone has been sick at all.
“We’ve been very strict, we’ve segregated every department, so the chefs don’t mingle with anyone, the drivers and the veg-choppers don’t.
“If one person gets sick then they’d have to be completely isolated and we’d have to take further action, but, fingers crossed, none of that has happened.”
What is more challenging for them is how they’ll continue to fund the project. A £10,000 Big Lottery grant has now run out, and they’re appealing for donations, as well as for volunteers to keep helping out.
“We just need to spread the word and express the urgency of the situation, because we’re approaching 20,000 meals now during lockdown, but we don’t have the donations to cover it,” Kim explains. “So we want to give the help, but we also need some support.”
Head monk Tarakanatha Dasa says they hope to continue in some form after lockdown alongside their usual activities like the cafe and community sessions.
“We’ll have to scale back but it depends on the funding,” he says. “As long as we’ve got people who want to help, we will do it. I want to build up on the momentum we’ve been carried along with.
“What form or shape that takes will depend on the restrictions and guidelines, but we fully intend to keep this going as long as there’s a need.”
■ You can donate to the project by searching for Food For Life Wales at www.gofundme.com or via the Food For Life Wales Facebook page