Angela – Volunteer
Cooking volunteer Angela is a sustainability champion at her local FoodCycle meal in Falcon Lodge.
101
101
FoodCycle Hackney volunteer Mark lives in London and has been volunteering with FoodCycle ever since he retired. Having been a passionate cook for many years and hosting large parties on a regular basis (once for 200 people!), he wanted to use his skills to help alleviate food poverty within his community.
I have always loved cooking, I used to work in a very stressful job, so much so that I would often come home and feel so stressed that I didn’t even want to talk to my family. I would get back from work, head to the kitchen, put some music on and get cooking and it would make me feel so much better, I’ve always found it such a huge de-stresser. I’m not good at many things but I know I am a pretty good cook!
How did you discover FoodCycle?
After retiring, I was really keen to get involved with some more volunteering. Being incredibly passionate about food poverty I wanted to do something that was tackling this issue. I did a quick Google search of ‘charity cooking’ and there was FoodCycle. Within a week I was volunteering at my first session at the FoodCycle Project in East Ham.
Tell us about your first session at FoodCycle?
Oh it was a wonderful experience. I turned up and we went and collected the food from the supermarket over the road, there really wasn’t a great deal of food that week – a lot of potatoes.
We took it back to the kitchen and I decided to just get stuck in and put myself forward to cook a vegetarian cottage pie. It was quite a challenge with such a small oven and having to cook for so many people! But I did it and everyone was just so lovely, the volunteers, the guests, just so welcoming and friendly.
It really hit home the importance of what I was doing and was obvious how much of a difference these meals make to people. That was it, I was hooked and before long I signed up to be a Project Leader at FoodCycle in Hackney.
Tell us about your favourite FoodCycle meals?
The best thing I have cooked at a meal is sweetcorn fritters. It was at FoodCycle Hackney and again it was a week that we just didn’t have a huge amount of food donated, just lots of sweetcorn.
So I decided to make my late mother-in-law’s famous sweetcorn fritters. It’s a dish that has so many fond memories for me and it was just so special to be able to share it with the guests at FoodCycle. They loved it and my wife and her family were all really touched when I shared the pictures of them at the meal.
What is your favourite thing about volunteering at FoodCycle?
The people, it really is such a wonderful atmosphere, you get to meet all types of people, both the guests and volunteers. I’ve become really good friends with some of my fellow volunteers.
I like the fun and the challenge of coming up with a meal and cooking for 30-40 guests. I love the creativity that happens when different people come together, for example one week we cooked a simple tomato pasta for the main course (due to what we had in our delivery) but we called it Spaghetti Pomodoro just to makes sure that it still felt like a special and exciting meal. Needless to say they absolutely loved it!
Tell us any ways that working with FoodCycle has changed you?
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. I just really hadn’t grasped the community side of things before, it just hasn’t registered with me until I came to FoodCycle.
It’s also made me so much more aware of the issues that people are struggling with.
What would you say to anyone thinking of volunteering with FoodCycle?
Do it.
It’s incredibly good fun, we always have a laugh in the kitchen. I’ve volunteered with other charities but FoodCycle just has something about it. If you love food and people, you’ll love this!
Stay in touch with the FoodCycle family. Sign-up to get the latest news, volunteering opportunities, events and updates sent to you every month. You can unsubscribe at any time.
🌍💚 It’s a BIG week… The Big Give Green Match Fund is here! 💚🌍
From today until 29th April, every donation to FoodCycle through The Big Give will be DOUBLED, helping us grow our environmental impact through community dining.
By turning surplus food into hot, healthy meals, we’re:
♻️ Tackling food waste
🌱 Cutting carbon emissions
🍽️ Feeding communities in need
In 2024, we saved 320 tonnes of food from waste, stopping 200,000kg of CO2 from entering the atmosphere. Imagine what we can do with YOUR help, doubled.
Donate today and be part of something greener, kinder and more connected.
Link in bio to give.
#donate #causes #giveback #socialgood #environment #biggive #thebiggive #foodcycle
Do you leave a treat out for Father Christmas? Well, the Easter Bunny deserves some love too. 🥕🐰
We think this carrot cake recipe is perfect for Easter weekend.
Did you know you can scale this recipe up or down by changing the number of portions?
Try it yourself via the link in the bio.
Make sure to tag us in any of your baking creations.
#CarrotCake #EasterBunny #EasterReciope #EasterTreat #Cakes #EasterFood #FoodCycle
Double your impact. Fight food waste. Feed communities. 💚
We’re thrilled to be part of The Big Give Green Match Fund, launching next Tuesday!
🌱 From 22nd to 29th April, every pound you donate to FoodCycle through The Big Give will be match-funded.
In partnership with the Environmental Funders Network (EFN), this incredible campaign supports charities tackling urgent environmental issues – and we’re proud to be one of them.
Your donations will help us:
🥦 Rescue surplus food
🍽️ Serve hot, nutritious meals
🤝 Bring communities together
Let’s turn food waste into something wonderful.
🔗 Find out more and get ready to donate via the link in the bio
#TheBigGive #GreenMatchFund #FoodCycle #Sustainable #Comunity #GreenProjects
Not into cooking? No problem!
You can support us and our projects in many ways, and cooking up a storm is just one of them.
You could:
🥕 Collect and deliver surplus food
🥕 Be a host and welcome people
🥕 Fundraise to support our vital work
Of course, you can get involved in the kitchen by cooking, preparing, cleaning up, and everything in between.
Got more questions about volunteering? Head over to the link in the bio
You can also help support us by following us and sharing our posts.
#Volunteer #Community #VolunteerOpportunities #VolunteerRoles #CommunityMeal
Thanks to your energy, compassion and dedication, our 2024 Impact Report is bursting with achievements worth celebrating 👏
Here’s what you helped make happen last year:
🍽️ 162,991 meals served, made from surplus food
🌍 320 tonnes of food saved from waste
💪 Over 8,700 volunteers gave 162,810 hours of their time
🏫 20 new projects launched, including 3 in schools
📈 30% more guests came to share food and conversation
🏆 We were named Charity of the Year – twice!
None of it would be possible without our amazing volunteer community. Whether you cooked, hosted, collected food or cheered us on – you’ve made a real, lasting difference.
Want to see the full impact, read inspiring guest stories and find out what’s next?
👉 Tap the link in bio
#FoodCycle #Sustainable #ImpactReport #Community #CommunityMeals #Landfill
A big shout out to the team at the Reading Project!
One of the guests reached out to offer some lovely words of support.
"Please mention the Reading team. They have not been going long, but they do an amazing job. All the volunteers are friendly and it is a lovely community. Thank you Reading!"
Well done to everyone involved with the Reading Project :-)
#Reading #ReadingCity #ReadingFoodcycle #Foodcycle #CommunityMeal
This week (and every week at FoodCycle) is National Food Waste Action Week. 🌎
So we just wanted to remind you that our community meals are cooked up using surplus food that was otherwise headed for the bin 😮
This week at our Kingstanding community meal 34 guests enjoyed a menu of...
🥕 Veggie loaded soup
🍝 Sunday roasts with Cauliflower cheese
🍰 Cake and Custard
Small changes make a BIG impact! Whether it`s blending come extra veg into soup or finding creative ways to use surplus ingredients, every action helps.
#FoodWasteActionWeek
Food Waste Action Week: Make the Most of Your Food! 🥕🍞🥦
Did you know that here at FoodCycle we have a whole section of delicious recipes to help you reduce food waste? From using up leftovers to making the most of every ingredient, our recipes are here to help you save food, money, and the planet!
Check them out now this #FoodWasteActionWeek and transform your extras into something extraordinary.
🔗 Link in bio!
💚 This #InternationalWomensDay, we’re celebrating the incredible women who give their time, energy, and passion to FoodCycle community meals.
#AccelerateAction, reminds us that real change happens when people step up. These inspiring volunteers do just that - taking action in their communities and making a real difference.
🌟 Joan – FoodCycle Middlesbrough Breckon Hill
Known as ‘Nan’ to many at her local FoodCycle project, (FoodCycle Breckon Hill in Middlesbrough), retired nurse Joan brings positive energy to everyone she meets as a hosting volunteer.
Joan says: “I like working with people, and feeling that I am being of some use. It’s wonderful, you meet lovely people and you’re helping your community… It’s just nice to know that you’ve helped somebody.”
🌟 Asli – FoodCycle Schools – Ark Globe, London
Asli is a FoodCycle hosting lead at the London school where she’s also a teacher. She finds joy in seeing pupils and their families coming together each week.
Asli says: “Ever since I first heard of it, I`ve been obsessed with FoodCycle! I just love the idea that we can make food out of what`s given to us, and share it with the community.”
🌟 Ashliegh – FoodCycle Salford
Ashleigh is a Project Leader, who has not only volunteered 270+ hours her local community meal, but also fundraised £3,000!
Ashleigh says: “FoodCycle is so important for our community because it brings people from all walks of life together. It’s for absolutely anyone and everyone, and we basically all just come together for one really lovely night and sit and have a chat and tell stories and swap stores and it really is just amazing.”
💚 To all the incredible women who power FoodCycle – thank you for your dedication, kindness, and action. You inspire us every day!
Want to join? Sign up to volunteer via #linkinbio
#FoodCycle #InternationalWomensDay #IWD2025 #Volunteering #Community
Registered charity No. 1134423 | Company limited by guarantee no. 7101349
Registered charity No. 1134423
Company limited by guarantee no. 7101349
