FoodCycle Needs You

A charity doing amazing stuff to tackle food poverty, loneliness and food waste, has opened its second free community meal in Sunderland, and it needs people like you and me to help.

FoodCycle needs more volunteers to help provide free weekly hot meals for local guests in the friendly and welcoming atmosphere at Grindon Church Community Project, every Thursday at 6.30pm.

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

The Grindon meal is the second FoodCycle community dining project to launch in Sunderland and the seventh in Tyne and Wear, as the charity continues it expansion - doing (more than) its bit to help nourish communities across England and Wales.

A similar FoodCycle meal has been running for almost a year at Stockton Road URC Church in Ashbrooke on a Tuesday lunchtime. There, the team have so far served more than 1,600 meals since opening in September 2023 and saved more than 3.6 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 an incredible - and fun - way to help your community, and the environment too.

Now in its 15th year, FoodCycle runs 93 community meals nationally, offering good food and company to guests from any and every background.  

Everyone is welcome to turn up to eat for free, with regular guests including low-income families, elderly people, refugees, people who live alone, may be homeless, or simply want to get more involved in their community.

FoodCycle North East Regional Manager Louise Green said: “It’s fantastic to have opened our second FoodCycle meal for the community in Sunderland. This is a vibrant city where there is a high demand for free food provision for local people, particularly 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 anyone who wants to come along to enjoy great food and conversation with us for free. Our vital community service runs on the kindness of volunteers, so we’re asking local people willing to give up a few hours a month to get in touch with us.”

Already since opening on June 20th, the Sunderland Grindon team have served more than 250 meals and saved more than 400kg of surplus food from going to waste.  

So far in 2024, FoodCycle has served over 100,000 free meals to people nationally 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 told us: “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 connection 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 Sunderland Grindon takes place every Thursday at 6.30pm, at Grindon Church Community Project, Galway Rd, Grindon, Sunderland SR4 8JZ.

Sign up to volunteer here: https://foodcycle.org.uk/location/foodcycle-sunderland-grindon/

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

Other FoodCycle North East Projects in Tyne and Wear:

FoodCycle Sunderland Ashbrooke every Tuesday at 12.30pm at Stockton Road URC Church, Stockton Rd, Sunderland, SR2 7DD

FoodCycle Newcastle Benwell every Monday at 6.30pm at Benwell Cornerstone, 62 Armstrong Rd, Benwell, Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 7TU

FoodCycle Newcastle Byker every Thursday at 7pm at St Silas' Church, Clifford Street, Byker, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 1DR

FoodCycle Gateshead Felling every Friday at 12.30pm at Felling Community Centre, Smithburn Road, Gateshead, NE10 9DU

FoodCycle Newcastle Walker every Wednesday at 12.30pm at Monkchester Community Centre, Monkchester Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 2LJ

FoodCycle Newcastle Westgate every Thursday at 6.45pmpm at Baptist Church, 366 Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 6NX

Other FoodCycle North East Projects in Tees Valley:

FoodCycle Hartlepool every Monday at 6.30pm at Hartlepool Community Hub South, Wynyard Road, TS25 3LQ

FoodCycle Middlesborough Breckon Hill every Tuesday at 6.30pm at Breckon Hill Community Centre, Breckon Hill Road, Middlesbrough, TS4 2DS