Since February, Bexley’s diverse faith groups have been working to safely provide free hot meals to families’ doorsteps.
‘The Hot Food Project’, organised by the Bexley Interfaith Forum, began at the start of the latest lockdown in February, and aims to provide hot food to families in need, one night per week.
The Rev Trevor Wyatt, vicar of Christ Church Bexleyheath and Chair of the Bexley Interfaith Forum, has led the project in partnership with the London Borough of Bexley:
"There are six kitchens involved in cooking hot food one night per week and then delivering them out to families.
“There are three kitchens in Bexleyheath - at Christ Church Bexleyheath, New Hope Church and Bexley Christian Life Centre. There is one in Sidcup at New Gen church, and the kitchen in St John’s Church Erith is operating three nights per week.
“The Muslim community in Crayford/Dartford are using the kitchen in a local Indian restaurant.”
Trevor says the project has been a huge community effort:
“The Council’s involvement has been vital, with the Community and Education departments at the Council identifying families via the schools, as they knew which children were on free school meals.
“Agreements were also needed with the Food Safety Team, in order to cover things like the registration of kitchens with the Council, food preparation and safety procedures, as well as menus and allergens.”
Funding for the project came from a micro grant from the Bexley Voluntary Service Council and donations from a large number of individuals and religious groups including:
- the Crayford Mosque and the local Muslim community;
- various Christian Churches of different denominations;
- the Yog foundation (Hindus); The Lighthouse, Welling (Muslim); and
- ingredients donated by ASDA and bread from the HOVIS factory.
John Masheder, is the Pastor of New Hope Church in Bexleyheath and has been overseeing the project out of their kitchen:
“A huge part of our mission at New Hope Church is to reach out to our wider community in all ways with the good news and hope of Jesus.
“This project has been a fantastic way to bring a range of gifted people together, even though they work separately, in cooking, driving, praying, even making a small gift each week to go with the food and in financial provision as well. It is a privilege to know that we are a part of the wider church family serving those that need our help in this way.”
In Erith the project includes people from various churches and groups including St John’s Erith, St Augustine Slade Green, Belvedere Pentecostal Church, Reinstate community group and the Roman Catholic Churches of Our Lady Erith and John Fisher Bexley.
Magali van der Merwe, is a Licensed Lay Minister at St Augustine's, Slade Green and helps coodinate the three kitchens operating out of St John's Church, Erith:
"Opening our "Friday Night Kitchen" between St Augustine's church ( Slade Green) and Re-instate (Erith) has been a privilege as this is enabling us to make a difference to families in need in our local community.
"Ultimately, our Christian calling is to help others in need and this project is enabling us to do that."
Trevor Wyatt, says the initiative has been going so well and is so needed, that they now plan to continue beyond lockdown:
"In total we are delivering just over 200 meals per week to about 50 families. It is planned that we will continue until the end of April."
Leader of the London Borough of Bexley, Cllr Teresa O’Neill OBE said:
“This is a fantastic example of partnership working in the community. This terrible pandemic has shown us just how we can all work together to make sure that those residents that need additional support can get it.
“By using our joint expertise and knowledge we have been able to get something really special up and running. My thanks go to all the groups involved in providing this great service.”
