For many people, the cost of going to a pub or restaurant to have a meal out is simply not an option when you are managing on a tight weekly budget. Perhaps you could afford to but don’t because you live alone and cannot face the prospect of sitting at a table with no one to talk to whilst you have something to eat. Equally you may decide that cooking for just one person is simply not worth the effort as having no one to talk makes it a process rather than an enjoyment. Maybe you have just moved into the town and are keen to make new friends and share hobbies together.
Well, you don’t have to! Have you heard about the amazing weekly community initiative ‘Witney Community Meal’ Held every Thursday from 5 to 6.30pm at Witney’s High Street Methodist Church. Everyone is welcome from single people, families and senior citizens. You don’t have to be part of the Methodist Church Community to enjoy the company of others whilst you tuck into a delicious hot meal followed by a pudding. Vegan and veggie options are available and where possible gluten free options can be provided. If you have the means to, donations are welcomed as they enable the organisers to provide a free meal to those who simply do not have any funds.
The Witney Community Meal came about last November when Adam Noble, who had worked as a volunteer abroad and had seen the benefits of bringing people together over a shared evening meal had. The next step was for Adam to talk with Minister Jason Cooke to ask if the café which the Church used as a warm space during the day during winter, could be used once a week for the Community Meal. The decision was made that it could be, and it was decided to open the café area early evening rather than during the day to enable families and people who worked to be able to be part of it.
With the help of between six and eight volunteers, with Adam the main ‘chef,’ delicious healthy meals are prepared served with vegetables. They also received the support of Cook, the award winning frozen meal provider who either donates main meals or puddings each week. Menus are built around traditional dishes such as cottage pie, sausage and mash and lasagne to name but a few. Hot spicy dishes such as curries are not so popular, but all are hot, tasty and enjoyable, made even more so by being able to share it with people who may start as strangers but soon become friends.
Currently Adam and his volunteers, who eat with fellow dinners, prepare and serve around 25 to 30 meals each week. There is capacity to serve more however so the best way to find out if it is for you is to come along and try it. If you are looking for a volunteering role, you would also be made very welcome.
As the Witney Community Meal continues to become more popular, if there are any local companies who would like to offer your support to this great community initiative, Adam and his team would love to hear from you; simply email adamnoble@me.com. They are extremely grateful for the continued support they receive each week from Cook and from the people who have got involved as volunteers. It is however such a fabulous way to get more involved in the local community that everyone is very welcome to be part of it.
To find out more and see what is on the menu, simply follow their Facebook page: Witney Community Meal
