To mark Loneliness Awareness week on 13th – 17th June we wanted to share why we think the magic of a FoodCycle meal makes guests feel less isolated…
86% of our guests say that coming to a FoodCycle meal makes them feel part of their community.
Hong Liu, Guest at FoodCycle London “That’s why I come here, it feels like a community and I like the atmosphere because it’s very friendly and I love talking to the younger generation of volunteers.”
85% of our guests said it gives them a reason to leave the house.
Andrew, Guest at FoodCycle Walsall “Over and above the food side of it, I like the companionship of meeting people socially and having a chat because most weeks I don’t see anybody. From the social aspect it is very warming.”
82% of our guests said they made friends
Lee, Guest at FoodCycle West Norwood “I had been caring for my aunt for 15 years, and once she died the idea of eating alone was unappealing and I wanted to meet people. There are lots of different people that come to FoodCycle, it’s just that feeling of connection. It’s not about the food on the table it’s about being around the table.”
90% guests said they meet people from different backgrounds
Craig, Guest at FoodCycle Birmingham “The atmosphere is great; you meet so many different people and I’ve spoken to lots who are here for different reasons; some are lonely, some people are hungry, some people have mental health issues or are challenged in some way. That’s why I think this is so important to the community, because it can help everyone. “
Our amazing FoodCycle volunteers find that all important social connection too…
Anne, Volunteer at FoodCycle Islington “The thing I love about FoodCycle is that no two sessions are the same and you’re doing it with a group of volunteers of all ages and backgrounds, completely different to my usual group of friends. But over the years those people, the regular volunteers, have actually become my friends. You learn from different people and you get different experiences. I’ve raved about it so much, my daughter now volunteers too!”
Anyone can join us for a FoodCycle meal, for whatever reason, no questions asked. For more information on your local FoodCycle community meal, check out our location page.
To find out more about volunteering with FoodCycle or to sign up head to our volunteer roles page.
