FoodCycle, a charity that serves free vegetarian meals from surplus food, has issued an urgent appeal for volunteers to cover summer holidays. The appeal comes as a Swindon man, Daniel Norrish, shares how volunteering helped him rebuild his life after severe alcohol dependency.
Finding hope through helping others
Daniel Norrish, 57, began volunteering with FoodCycle after leaving a rehabilitation clinic nearly two years ago. He has since contributed over 200 hours preparing starters and soups for guests. The routine and social connection have supported his long-term recovery.
Norrish said: 'I love it. It keeps me going. It gets me motivated, gets my head going. It’s good for your soul and good for your morale.' He added: 'If you get the opportunity, take it with both hands because it will turn your life around. It’s made a big difference to me, and I won’t ever forget what it’s done for me.'
Overcoming difficult times
Norrish turned to heavy drinking after redundancy during the pandemic, consuming up to 23 cans of beer daily. After receiving support from local health services, he wanted to give back. His kitchen role draws on his past experience as a preparation chef.
He said: 'I mostly do the starters, so often a soup but sometimes if it’s a hot day, I might make something else. At first, it was unusual cooking vegetarian food, because I'm a meat person. But once you get used to it, it's just a healthy way of living.'
Norrish continued: 'While I was drinking, I used to go to town every night to different food support places to get food, because my money had gone on beer, and when I came out of rehab, I just wanted to give something back to the community. My keyworker helped me fill out the forms to get me registered as a volunteer. It really, really got me motivated. I’ve been off the drink now for one year, 11 months.'
He emphasised the routine's impact: 'It keeps me focused. The regular routine, and the preparation of the food, and seeing the staff and other volunteers, it all keeps me excited. I’ve met all kinds of different people.'
A nationwide appeal for kitchen helpers
FoodCycle runs dinner projects across England and Wales, serving thousands of meals weekly. The charity needs more people to assist with cooking, hosting, and washing up, especially during summer when regular volunteers are on holiday.
Jemma Pembury, regional manager for the South West, said: 'Daniel is a super volunteer! He often prepares starters, and guests are always delighted when they see his soup on the menu. It’s great that volunteering has helped him too.' She added: 'We have a few different roles people can get involved with at FoodCycle community meals - from cooking, to serving food and chatting with guests, delivering surplus food to our projects, or doing the washing up. We’d love for anyone who is interested to sign up via our website.'
Mark Game, chief executive of FoodCycle, said: 'Too many people are struggling to afford the food they need, and too many are experiencing loneliness. That’s why FoodCycle’s community meals are more important than ever. Every week our volunteers help create welcoming spaces where people can enjoy nourishing food and company, while ensuring good food doesn’t go to waste. This summer we need to fill more than 8,500 volunteer slots around England and Wales to keep our projects running. If you can spare a few hours we’d love you to join us and help make a difference in your local community.'
Where to find a free weekly meal
The free dining sessions are open to everyone, with no booking or referrals required. Locations include: Bath (Wednesdays at 7pm at Walcot Methodist Chapel), Swindon (Thursdays at 6.30pm at Pinetrees Community Centre), Exeter (Tuesdays at 6.30pm at The Mint Methodist Church), and Bristol (Saturdays at 1pm at Wellspring Settlement). To find your nearest project or volunteer, visit the FoodCycle website.
