Calling for volunteers for the Newbury Loose Ends charity

A charity which has helped feed the Newbury community needs support.

Loose Ends, which is based in Newbury Cricket Club in Northcroft Lane, wants new volunteers to come in so it can continue to serve hot meals throughout the week.

It currently serves lunches on Mondays and Tuesdays, a late afternoon meal on Sundays and breakfast on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Every table set aims to be nutritious and prepared to the highest possible standards.

The charity’s chief executive, Diana Lacey, said: “We are very much a local charity.

“We were established 32 years ago with the intention of providing a meal on Sundays.

“This has expanded rapidly and we are now a one-stop shop for homeless and vulnerable people and anyone who just can’t make ends meet.”

This includes providing a hot meal on Fridays for families of school-aged children.

“We have some very creative chefs who create a warm and nutritious meal from the food that has been donated.

“We have a real mix of people coming in, normally up to 40 people.”

Some of those who accept hospitality will sleep hard, some live in guesthouses.

“They have no place to cook a decent meal,” Ms Lacey said. “They might have a place to sleep, but they can’t afford to go out to eat every day.

“For those struggling to make ends meet, offering a hot meal just makes the difference.”

They also distribute small food parcels to help their customers between prepared meals.

Demand has increased due to the rising cost of living and they want to make sure they have enough help on hand.

“It’s harder to get volunteers to come and help,” Ms Lacey said. “(The number of) people donating to us is going down, there’s less people available right now.”

Cooking roles are available but they also need volunteers to help with setting the tables, serving the food, washing up and tidying up afterwards.

For those who prefer administration, there are some back-end roles, helping with the supply chain, collecting food from donors or delivering it.

Age should not be a barrier to help.

“I retired a year ago and joined then,” Ms Lacey said. “I think two-thirds of our volunteers are retired. Anyone can help.

“If we can get half a dozen or a dozen more volunteers, it would make a huge difference.”

She said there is no big commitment.

“We salute everyone. We ask for no commitment: at the beginning of each month we ask people for availability and create a rotation of those who are available.

“They can come and do whatever they want.”

The charity is expecting an influx of donations around harvest time next month, but Ms Lacey said they have been able to fill their pantry from her funds.

“We’ve definitely spent a lot more on food in the last few months than relying on donations,” she said.

Loose Ends welcomes donations of canned goods including meat, fish, beans and vegetables, plus puddings such as custard and rice pudding, as well as food parcels such as pasta, rice and cereal.

The charity’s website, www.looseendsnewbury.org, has a page dedicated to explaining more about the need for volunteers and their requirements.

Volunteers will be asked to complete an online food hygiene training course within one year of starting their aid.

There are also first aid, behavior management and drug awareness sessions.

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