This was something new for me; yesterday I helped out at a soup kitchen. Janet who runs My Healthy Lifestyle likes to organise something like this from time to time and we both respect and like her.
The venue was at NOAH in Luton. Luton is an impoverished town in Bedfordshire with many social problems. Within the mix are many immigrants, prostitution, crime, gangs, drug and alcohol problems, low life expectancy and homelessness. And yet there are so many with generous hearts continuously working there. It was my privilege to help out a little today and join in the spirit of giving.
Janet is a real stickler for food hygiene (she even runs courses about this). She wasted no time in issuing me with a clean white apron and directing me to wash my hands properly. Next I had my masterclass lesson in avoiding slicing my fingers while chopping the carrots. Other members of the team were equally busy in getting set up for the 1pm opening time.
At exactly 1pm a steady stream of diners came in for their free meal. They had a Cornish pasty with potatoes, cabbage and carrots with none of my fingers. Plus they had a helping of gravy, served with some love. For pudding they had a yoghurt and either an apple or a banana, followed by a tea or coffee. Not a bad meal in terms of filling up some hungry tummies with reasonably nutritious food.
Although I stayed in the background doing the washing up, I could hear all kinds of voices wafting through. Eastern European, local, African and undoubtedly many others.
Some stayed just long enough to quickly gobble their food before they were out as quickly as they could. Others chatted but not for too long. Some had matted hair, many looked cold and disheveled.
As I washed the plates and ran them through the sterilising machine, I pondered the whole situation. I remembered back to the time when I befriended a man in the early 1980s in a homeless hostel, in Gloucester. I thought of the General Election which we’ve just had and how I couldn’t remember anything from my Conservative MP promising to help homeless people. More of it seemed to be about helping millionaires become billionaires. Hummmm.
NOAH Enterprise website – click here
My Healthy Lifestyle – click here