Food Cycle is a charity that works in Exeter, and around the country, to reduce hunger and food wastage. They offer free food and company for anyone who comes to one of their community meals. Based in many locations across England and Wales, they were founded in 2009 in London and focus on building community and fighting food poverty. Now in its 15th year, Food Cycle runs 97 community meals nationally. They run two evening meal sessions in Exeter, one on Tuesday evenings at The Mint Methodist Church on Fore Street and another meal on Thursday evenings at Beacon Heath Church. The charity cook fresh vegetarian meals using food that’s given by local independent grocery stores, like Darts Farm near Topsham, and larger supermarkets in the area like Sainsburys and Lidl. By using this food they promote a healthy, sustainable attitude towards eating and its impact on the environment.
They run two evening meal sessions in Exeter, one on Tuesday evenings at The Mint Methodist Church on Fore Street and another meal on Thursday evenings at Beacon Heath Church.
The food they use is surplus, which is food fit for human consumption but has no commercial value for the retailer. What’s even more important about Food Cycle is that not only do they reduce food waste that would have otherwise gone to the landfill, they also offer company and support to people in the local Exeter community. Food Cycle carried out a survey with 1,448 guests in December 2023, which revealed that almost half (44%) eat most meals alone and 72% had felt lonely. Many of the people that come just want someone to talk to while they eat, so anyone is welcome to join no matter if it’s for the company, food or both. I have had the privilege to be volunteering for them since the start of this university year and it has been one of the most genuinely fulfilling experiences I’ve have in Exeter so far. The other volunteers are all so friendly and if there is food left over then you can take packed boxes of it home and even have a meal with everyone else after you’re done washing up. So if you don’t mind mucking in and if this feels like something you would like to be a part of you can go to their website and sign up for a number of different roles. They offer volunteering opportunities, from cooking in the kitchen, to welcoming and talking to those who come, or helping to collect the local surplus food.
With having almost 5,900 volunteers in 2023 alone, this is a charity that I hope can continue opening centre’s in more UK communities. There are so many charities in Exeter and the UK that uphold communities and combat poverty. Food Cycle’s mission to bring people together by sharing healthy, delicious meals that would’ve otherwise been wasted are a key example of how we can combat these problems together.
