FoodCycle

Saving Surplus Food From The Bin

Believing that food waste and food poverty should not exist FoodCycle combines volunteers, surplus food and spare kitchens to cook up a nutritious meal aimed primarily for people at risk of food poverty and social isolation although everyone is welcome.

Surplus Vegetables

Volunteers collect surplus food that would otherwise be thrown away from local green grocers and supermarkets and make the food up into tasty meals in local kitchens spaces. FoodCycle run hubs all over England with seven in London, Hackney, Wandsworth, Bloomsbury, Grays Inn Road, Peckham, Islington and Bromley by Bow.

Being south of the river I had hoped to visit the Wandsworth FoodCycle hub based in Tooting but instead I had the pleasure of discovering and going along to The Graveney Canteen which supports other local food waste organisations like FoodCycle Wandsworth. The Graveney Canteen runs a community lunch in the same fashion every Friday at the Tooting United Reform Church, organised by volunteers and led by Kemi Akinola CEO of Be Enriched. Kemi is a warmhearted wonder woman when it comes to community projects running an additional four main schemes with the aim of enriching the lives young people and communities through educational and creative projects. At the Graveney Canteen lunches people can socalise, get advice and even enjoy a board game or two. Any donated surplus food that is not used in the lunch can be taken home by the diners.

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Kemi and her partners are always glad of helping hands  to run the lunches especially regular cooks or chefs. So if you can help or know of someone who can please get in touch using the form below.

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