What I learned when I volunteered at a community meal with FoodCycle

A blackboard displaying the menu for FoodCycle in Old Street

FoodCycle volunteers prepping in the kitchen

All of the meals that FoodCycle serve are vegetarian and there's no referral process – anyone can show up and enjoy a three course community meal, no questions asked. With the cooking well underway, the team of hosting volunteers start laying tables with red checked table cloths and cutlery, with one volunteer drawing up the menu on a board. Many guests arrive on their own, so creating a welcoming experience is a really important aspect of the hosting volunteers' role. Guests vary from older people to low-income families, those experiencing homelessness, refugees, people living alone or simply those who want to connect with their community.

"For many of the guests," says Jan, "this may be the only meal they eat with someone else in the week. The social aspect of community dining is so important, it's a big part of what we do."

FoodCycle's most recent impact report revealed that 67% of guests eat alone when they're not at a FoodCycle meal. Hosting volunteers are encouraged to sit down with the guests and eat and chat with them. What brings the volunteers here? Wanting to help others, reduce food waste and get outside of usual social circles are all key motivators. One of the kitchen volunteers moved to London just six months ago, while another recently quit their corporate job. It's clear that, for many, it's a real opportunity to feel part of the community, especially in a big city like London that can feel isolating.

As guests start to trickle in, they are offered a tea or coffee. It's a well-oiled operation, and a newcomer would never guess that everyone is doing this for the first time in a brand-new space.

As the 7pm serving time approaches, Jan rushes in with six aubergines. "Let's chop these up and chuck them in your chilli," he says.

My bean chilli is dwarfed by the industrial-scale pot it's simmering away in, and as more guests arrive, it's looking like it won't be enough to feed them all. Meanwhile, one of the ovens has decided it's not going to switch on, so there's a juggling act going on with the loaded trays of potato wedges.

"This is all a pretty normal part of the session," Jan tells me later. "It always works out in the end."

That it did, and just in the nick of time. Clean plates are returned to the kitchen from guest tables and requests for the carrot cake recipe come in thick and fast. All volunteers are encouraged to try the kitchen team's efforts and any leftovers are boxed up for guests to take home, to make sure no food goes to waste.

FoodCycle volunteers plating up carrot cake

FoodCycle now runs over 100 community dining projects up and down the country. There's a roughly 1,000-strong volunteer pool for the East London area, which provides meals "to about 300 guests each week," Jan says.

FoodCycle's impact report found that 75% of guests can't afford to buy the food they need, while 41% don't have access to an oven. With household bills going up across the board at the start of April ('awful April', as it's being referred to in the media), FoodCycle may see these numbers increase further.

The positive impact of the community dining model is undeniable, and the figures back this up. The same impact report showed that 78% of guests feel less lonely after attending a meal. Furthermore, community dining has a positive impact on the planet: FoodCycle alone has saved 320 tonnes of food from landfill.

The majority of FoodCycle's food in London is sourced from food waste charities The Felix Project and City Harvest, who collect surplus food around the city on a larger scale and distribute it to charities for free.

"We also have connections with the local community such as with the local fruit, veg and corner shops and some small supermarkets. The majority of our food comes from surplus sources," says Jan.

It's clear that the impact of the charity's work is far-reaching – and that it's not just the guests but the volunteers too who see the benefits.

FoodCycle CEO Sophie Tebbetts says, "At FoodCycle, we believe that bringing people together not only addresses hunger, loneliness and food waste, but also boosts mental wellbeing and strengthens community spirit."

"One thing that makes FoodCycle different to other charities is it genuinely takes just five minutes to become a volunteer," Jan adds. "You register on our website, find a project that suits you timing-wise, and then you just sign up. Some volunteers come as a one-off, others every few months and some every week – it's really up to you. Even if you've never done anything like this before, you're welcome to join us."

FoodCycle Old Street runs every Thursday at 7pm at Vibast Community Centre. Find your nearest project and register as a volunteer.