Hucknall charity project providing weekly free meals has enjoyed a stellar start in the town

FoodCycle aims to provide a weekly meal to anyone who needs it as it strives to make food poverty, loneliness and food waste a thing of the past for every community.

The new Hucknall project launched at Central Methodist Church on Baker Street on July 30 and meals have been served every Sunday thereafter at 1pm.

In the two months the Hucknall project has now been going, the group has welcomed almost 400 guests, served more than 2,000 free meals and saved just over a kilogram of surplus food.

Martha Skinner, East Midlands regional manager for FoodCycle, said: "We have been blown away by the community's response to our FoodCycle Hucknall opening.

"In just over two months we have welcomed a steady stream of guests each week from the local area who have joined our wonderful volunteers for a tasty, three-course meal made from surplus food and a friendly chat.

"In just eight weeks we've fed more than 350 people and created a bank of dedicated local volunteers who make our free community meal happen every Sunday lunchtime.

“If you're in the area and haven't joined us yet, come along.

"We welcome everyone and we promise you'll leave with a smile on your face."

The success of Hucknall project – and Foodcycle projects across the region – relies on volunteers and the Hucknall group is always looking for more people to come and join them and help make a difference to the lives of people in need.

Volunteer roles at FoodCycle are flexible, are open to anyone and do not have a minimum time commitment.

Roles are equally inclusive and range from food collection to surplus food co-ordinators to cooking in the kitchen or hosting out front.

Those that love to lead, can even train to be a project leader.

To sign up as a volunteer or for more information, visit foodcycle.org.uk

One of the charity’s volunteers said: “Because of FoodCycle, I’ve found I enjoy cooking and being in the kitchen environment and it’s something I’d love to do as proper paid work.

"Being at FoodCycle every week helps to show I am reliable, can work with other people and am committed, so it’s really changed things for me.”