Kitchen is hungry to expand
Adam Hewitt • Published 4 Jul 2010 20:00
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Some of the good things on offer
Some of the men and women who use the service. pic 103127 by Abi Turley
Co-ordinator Ayo Adekale
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VOLUNTEERS who give up two Sundays a month to provide a hot meal and medical care for those less fortunate want to expand to a weekly service.
The men and women of the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Tilehurst Road and its sister church in Whitley and Earley run the kitchen at the Fairview Community Centre in George Street.
They help 40 to 60 men and women who are either homeless or struggle to get enough good food at home.
The Chronicle visited as they were tucking in this afternoon.
Dave O'Connell, 37, from Caversham, was eating there for the first time, enjoying chicken stew with rice and vegetables and a slice of Arctic roll. He said: "It's a great place and a great cause. I can't cook all that well myself and really appreciate what they are doing. It's the only place to come on a Sunday for hot food. They are good people and it means a lot."
Ray Barrett, 64, who lives in the town centre, said: "Places like this need the charitable donations so it can carry on. It would be fantastic if it could expand and be on every Sunday."
Stephen Carolan said: "It's my first time here in a long time and it's as good as ever."
The group gets help from Reading Borough Council and other funding organisations, but wants to put the kitchen on weekly.
Glory Nambo from Whitley Wood, treasurer for the church volunteers, said: "We're hoping to move to a bigger building, one with separate rooms so we can offer counselling - at the moment we're just going to use screens but it's not all that private. People coming here often have substance abuse problems and we want to help.
"One guy came here after leaving prison three months ago. He hadn't had one home-cooked meal since. We do good stuff like chicken, rice, vegetables and fruit and salad. It's all free. We just help people until they get settled."
The service has been going since 1999 and from Fairview since 2004.
Co-ordinator Ayo Adekale said: "If we can get extra funds and go weekly, and provide more medical checks for people, that would be great."
The volunteers are always seeking donations of money, food and also want a big cooking pot.
Email enambo@talktalk.net
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