A charity that aims to tackle food poverty, loneliness and food waste, is appealing for volunteers to help turn surplus food into delicious dishes, at a new community meal launched in Coventry.

FoodCycle needs more volunteers to help provide free weekly hot lunches for regular guests in a friendly and welcoming atmosphere, every Wednesday at 1pm, at St Peter’s Hillfields.

Volunteers get to be part of the ‘FoodCycle magic’ – transforming surplus food that would otherwise go to waste into delicious and nutritious vegetarian dishes, such as soups and salads, pasta bakes, curries, stews, pastries and fruit crumble.

It’s the first FoodCycle community dining project to launch in Coventry, and the 11th in the West Midlands, as the charity expands to help nourish communities across England and Wales. A further new project is set to open in Worcester in October.

Now in its 15th year, FoodCycle runs 93 community meals nationally, offering good food and company to guests from all backgrounds. Regular guests who turn up to eat for free include low-income families, elderly people, refugees, people who live alone, may be homeless, or simply want to get more involved in their community.

Across the West Midlands, FoodCycle volunteers have served more than 10,000 meals this year, with existing community meals in Birmingham, Dudley, Walsall, Wolverhampton, so far saving 19 tonnes of surplus food from going to waste.

Whether you’re a food waste warrior, a keen cook or washer-upper, a tea-making machine, or just enjoy a friendly chat while sharing a delicious meal, volunteering with FoodCycle is a fun way to help your community, and the environment too.

FoodCycle West Midlands Regional Manager Pablo Allan said: “It’s heartening to have launched our eleventh project in the West Midlands, introducing FoodCycle to the Coventry community. There’s a high demand for free food provision locally, as the high cost of living continues to affect everything from fuel bills to food costs. Each week we provide a safe, welcoming space for people to enjoy great food and conversation for free. We can only do this thanks to the kindness of volunteers, so we’re asking local people who can spare a few hours a month to get in touch.”

FoodCycle Coventry opened on 14 August 2024. 

Lorna Spina, Community Engagement Worker at St Peter’s Hillfields said:

“Here at St Peter’s Hillfields we are passionate about caring for our local community and meeting the needs of those who need a helping hand. We are so pleased to partner with FoodCycle to provide a free weekly community meal which is so needed and appreciated by so many of our regulars. This makes a real difference for some of the most vulnerable local people and provides a place for those looking for community to gather and connect.”

So far in 2024, FoodCycle has served over 100,000 free meals to people at projects across England and Wales and saved more than 200 tonnes of surplus food from going to landfill. The charity celebrates its 15th birthday in September.

No prior qualifications are needed to volunteer with Foodcycle and there’s no minimum weekly commitment – just sign up via the FoodCycle website and relevant training and guidance will be provided.

Roles include cooking, hosting and pot washing, or helping run the project, for which you need to be available for four-hours on any day you volunteer. Drivers or cyclists are also needed to help collect surplus food, for which you need your own transport.

Mark, a FoodCycle volunteer said:

“You get to meet all types of people. I like the fun and the challenge of coming up with a meal and I love the creativity. When I first volunteered, I really thought that it was just going to be like a food bank, but it is so much more than that. FoodCycle has really highlighted the importance of social connection to me. It’s also made me so much more aware of the issues that people are struggling with. If you’re thinking of volunteering, do it. It’s incredibly good fun. I’ve volunteered with other charities, but FoodCycle just has something about it. If you love food and people, you’ll love this!”

Why do communities need projects like FoodCycle?

By bringing people together, FoodCycle not only tackles hunger, loneliness and food waste, but it’s also improving mental wellbeing and strengthening community spirit.

FoodCycle carried out a survey with 1,448 guests in December 2023, which revealed that almost half (44%) eat most meals alone and 72% had felt lonely.

The survey underpins the need for services which tackle the UK’s loneliness pandemic by forging positive connections in local communities.

The results suggest that FoodCycle’s community meals model works to support people’s wellbeing – with 92% of the guests surveyed leaving weekly meals feeling happier, 88% feeling more part of their community and 84% feeling less lonely.

FoodCycle Coventry takes place every Wednesday at 1pm, at
St Peter’s Hillfields,
Charles Street,
Coventry, CV1 5NP.

Sign up to volunteer here: https://volunteer.foodcycle.org.uk/westmidlands

You can also donate to support FoodCycle here: https://foodcycle.org.uk/donate/

Other FoodCycle community meal projects in the West Midlands:

• FoodCycle Birmingham Erdington – every Monday at 3.30pm at Erdington Family Hub at Lakeside Children’s Centre, 22 Lakes Road, Erdington, B23 7UH

• FoodCycle Birmingham Falcon Lodge – every Monday at 1pm at Falcon Lodge Chapel, 265 Reddicap Heath Road, Sutton Coldfield, B75 7ES

• FoodCycle Birmingham Longbridge – every Monday at 7.15pm at Longbridge Methodist Church, 654-1658 Bristol Road South, Rednal, Birmingham, B45 9TY

• FoodCycle Birmingham Weoley Castle – every Tuesday at 4pm at St Gabriels Church, Shenley Lane, Birmingham B29 5PL

• FoodCycle Birmingham Quinton – every Saturday at 12pm at Saint Boniface Church 48 Quinton Road West, Quinton, Birmingham, B32 2QD

• FoodCycle Birmingham Kingstanding – every Saturday at 1pm at Birmingham Settlement, 610 Kingstanding Road, Birmingham, B44 9SH

• FoodCycle Dudley – every Tuesday at 1pm at St. Francis’ Church, Laurel Road, Dudley, DY1 3EZ

• FoodCycle Walsall Green Lane – every Wednesday at 7pm at Green Lane Baptist Church, Burrowes Street, Walsall, WS2 8NX

• FoodCycle Wolverhampton – every Wednesday at 5pm at Wesleyan Holiness Church, 2 Merridale Ln, Wolverhampton WV3 9RD

• FoodCycle West Heath – every Sunday at 1pm at Hampstead House Condover Road, Birmingham, B31 3QY

FoodCycle is a national charity with the vision of making food poverty, loneliness and food waste a thing of the past for every community.

Find out more: www.foodcycle.org.uk

Read about FoodCycle’s impact: https://foodcycle.org.uk/who-we-are/foodcycles-impact/

Instagram: @foodcyclehq | Facebook: @foodcycle | X (Twitter): @foodcycle

FoodCycle is a registered charity no. 1134423, and a company limited by guarantee 7101349.