Angela – Volunteer
Cooking volunteer Angela is a sustainability champion at her local FoodCycle meal in Falcon Lodge.
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Here at FoodCycle, our mission is to nourish the hungry and lonely in our communities with delicious meals and great conversation. For some, the opportunity to get out of the house and have chat with other people is just as important as the meals we serve.
We also find that our volunteers benefit greatly from the friendly environment, the warm welcome, and the social interaction that they encounter when they volunteer at a FoodCycle project.
Emma, who after going through a really difficult time during the pandemic, found that volunteering at her local project, FoodCycle Newport, helped her to build her self-esteem and confidence and lift her mood!
Read Emma’s story below
“I started volunteering with FoodCycle in January 2022, and the experience has been pivotal to improving my mental wellbeing. As a result of the pandemic, I was made redundant twice in the last two years, and was home-schooling my son. I had become quite reclusive, and my mood became low, as I felt like I had little to offer.
The increasing cost of living crisis, and the free school meals crisis over the pandemic, encouraged me to seek a face to face volunteering opportunity within FoodCycle. The whole ethos appealed to me, as I hate throwing food away, and wanted to support those struggling financially and emotionally.
The atmosphere at the project was immediately warm, friendly, and encouraging, and the food smelled delicious as I walked into the building! The other volunteers and guests were all so welcoming, and I felt like one of the team straight away. My self-esteem rose considerably, and I felt like I still had a purpose in life. Meeting the same guests most weeks has also been massively positive in terms of feeling less lonely. During the pandemic, I went six months without seeing another adult, so having conversations with several people at once was amazing!
I went home from the first session with a huge smile on my face and felt such a buzz from being busy and chatting with people. To be honest I didn’t want to go home, and went straight home and booked another volunteering session. Even doing FoodCycle training online has made me feel more confident and like I can offer transferable skills from my previous jobs to my volunteering.
Volunteering at FoodCycle has increased my well-being and confidence to the point where I am now applying for career opportunities that I would not have felt comfortable doing before. It has also brought me out of my shell again, and I am able to make friends in my local community. It’s made a huge difference to my life overall. Thank you to all the team and guests at the projects, I get so much out of my volunteering and will continue to come along as often as possible. I can’t stress enough how going to FoodCycle is actually the highlight of my week.”
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Not all heroes wear capes, some rock an apron and hairnet and whip up a mean pasta bake...
Join our volunteer team and help cook, serve or simply lend a hand. Whether it’s chopping veggies, plating up meals or washing up, it all makes a difference.
Join us for a Summer of Peas & Love. 🫛❤️
Do good, feel good, volunteer with us this summer.
Head to the link in the bio to register and have the best summer ever.
#SummerGoals #SummerVolunteers #Community #CommunityKitchen #FreeMeal #FoodCycle
🎾 A huge shoutout to our friends at Danone for treating some of our amazing volunteers (and a few staff too!) to an unforgettable day at Wimbledon 💚
On 5th July, a group of lucky volunteers from all over the country were picked in a random draw and got to enjoy top tennis action plus a tasty lunch and afternoon tea.
We’re so grateful to Danone for recognising the time, care and energy our volunteers give every week. You are the heart of FoodCycle and we love being able to say thank you in fun and meaningful ways like this.
Here’s to more memories, more meals and more community 💫
#FoodCycle #ThankYouDanone #Wimbledon
PROJECT HIGHLIGHT
Well done to the fantastic team at FoodCycle Weoley Castle for another warm and welcoming community meal 💚
This week, they served 22 guests, welcomed a brand new hosting volunteer, and dished up a delicious three-course menu featuring:
🥣 Roasted cauliflower and fennel soup
🍅 Ratatouille with mash and side salad
🍊 Orange drizzle cake
We also want to give a huge shout-out to Jacky, who hit an incredible milestone of 400 volunteer hours! Thank you for your dedication and the difference you continue to make every week 🎉
If you’re in the Weoley Castle area, head to St Gabriel’s at 4pm on Tuesdays for a free meal, good chat and a warm welcome.
Thinking about volunteering? Sign up here via the link in the bio.
#Volunteering #FoodCycle #WeoleyCastle #FreeMeal #WestMidlands #ThreeCourseMeal
A huge thank you to Jane and her brilliant "Ladies that Picnic" for coming together to support FoodCycle during The Big Lunch 💚
Jane hosted a wonderful afternoon filled with community spirit, delicious vegetarian dishes, a quiz, a raffle and even original artwork for sale, all to raise vital funds for our work.
We’re so grateful to Jane and everyone who came along. Your generosity and creativity help us bring people together over food, one meal at a time.
#TheBigLunch #FoodCycle #CommunitySupport #Wardley #Swinton
Run for change in 2026
We’ve got two charity places for the iconic London Marathon and they could be yours 👟
Take on one of the world’s most famous races while helping FoodCycle fight food poverty, tackle loneliness and stop good food from going to waste 💚
Think you’ve got what it takes? Tell us why you’d love to run for us by Sunday 6 July.
📝 Apply now via the link in the bio
📌 £100 reg fee
🎯 £2,500 fundraising target
Let’s do something amazing together.
#FoodCycle #LondonMarathon #CharityPlace #RunForCharity
50 guests, a buzzing dining room and a whole lot of love in Clacton this week!
The sun was shining, the queue was full of chatter, and the energy inside was just as warm 💚
A huge shout out to newly graduated Project Leader Yvonne, who served up her first official meal made entirely from fresh surplus ingredients and nailed it! 👏
Every guest left with a grocery bag to take home, and Collection PL Chris worked his usual magic, making sure nothing went to waste. Even his chickens were happy with the scraps 🐓
Great food, great people, great Monday. Clacton, you rock!
Looking for a feel-good gift that actually makes a difference?
Say hello to the FoodCycle merch range 💚
💚 Tote bags that carry kindness
💚 Tees and aprons that spread good vibes
💚 The perfect pressie for your foodie friend, your hosting hero or just yourself (you deserve it)
Every purchase supports our mission to feed communities, fight food waste and tackle loneliness.
Tap the link in bio to shop and gift with purpose.
#FoodCycle #ToteBag #Apron #GiftIddeas #CharityGift
No fresh food? No problem!
To the store cupboard 😁
You need to watch this and see the incredible meal our volunteers produced with store cupboard ingredients and some epic teamwork :-)
Thanks to the Mitcham team for sharing.
☀️ Sandwiches.
👥 Great company.
🌍 A meaningful cause.
It`s National Picnic Week, and what a brilliant moment to make your Big Lunch a picnic.
Lunch outdoors can bring your friends, family, or work team together, boost morale, and raise vital funds to help FoodCycle tackle food waste, hunger, and loneliness.
Keep it simple. Make it count.
Start planning via the link in the bio.
#NationalPicnicWeek
This Loneliness Awareness Week, we’re proud to be part of something that brings people together 💚
At FoodCycle, no one eats alone. Our community meals offer food, conversation and connection because we know a friendly face and a warm plate can go a long way.
🌱 83% of guests feel happier after a meal
🤝 78% feel less lonely
🏘️ 83% feel more part of their community
A shared meal can mean so much more than just food.
It can be friendship.
Support.
A reason to smile.
Let`s tackle loneliness and food waste together.
#LonelinessAwarenessWeek #Community #BetterTogether
Registered charity No. 1134423 | Company limited by guarantee no. 7101349
Registered charity No. 1134423
Company limited by guarantee no. 7101349
