MEALS FROM MARLOW

MEALS FROM MARLOW IS NOW A REGISTERED CHARITY PRODUCING MEALS FOR LOCALS IN NEED

Like most chef-owners, Tom Kerridge spent July overhauling his businesses. For instance, to space them out, tables were moved into the Hand and Flowers bar and the bar itself into a handsome flower-filled tent outside. “We’ve spent a huge amount so we feel staff are safe and to put guests at ease.”

But as the Hand gets back into the groove of serving two-Michelin-star fish ’n’ chips or duck with sweet and sour onion tart and cherry ketchup, Tom is determined to continue the community work which defined his lockdown. Utilising his catering company Lush, the Pub in the Park team and volunteer furloughed chefs, Tom launched Meals from Marlow to feed frontline NHS staff – but it soon turned into a far bigger project, working with Marlow’s churches and local charities. At its peak, it was cooking more than 1,000 meals a day.

A well-known TV face, Tom raised £180,000 for Meals from Marlow and could persuade huge meat suppliers 2 Sisters and Dovecote Park to donate. But it also served as a real reminder of his “position in the local community and making sure we’re involved in every charity we can be”.

“Appearing on TV and whatever, you see it as national reach for the Hand and Flowers, and sometimes you forget the people who live next door. Marlow is a lovely, affluent town but there’s a huge amount of people – lonely, little money, elderly or vulnerable – who need help.”

Now a registered charity, Meals from Marlow is still producing hundreds of meals weekly for local residents. But, says Tom, he would love to see it grow: “Who knows where it’ll be in 10 years?” thehandandflowers.co.uk