Another day filled with activities from volunteers ..cooks cooking delicious lunch, peeps serving tea and biccies. Mucking in wherever..washing abundance of blueberries..hoovering, washing uppers including setting up for lunch. What a grest feeling...

Just the lunch shift for me today at Ealing Soup Kitchen. It was 34 degrees outside and felt very warm in the kitchen! Chef John prepared beef chili with a vegetarian alternative and it was a popular meal - lots of clean plates being returned. I was on serving duties again and we were kept busy with a constant request for cold drinks. Another successful lunchtime with happy and replete clients.

It was great to see Rainu this morning, I stayed on for the lunchtime session and was again on serving duties - we had thought there weren’t so many people but, when the dining area doors opened at 1pm, every table was full! There was a constant flow of clients and the meal - fish pie and vegetables cooked by chef Andrew - was a great success. The only downside for me was a bruised leg as I managed - twice - to walk into benches in the crowded dining area. Next week I will be choosing different tables!

On the menu today was coronation chicken with potatoes and salad or vegetable frittata. I can vouch for the tastiness of the latter but most of the clients today loved the chicken dish. I was serving tables and we can tell whether a meal is popular by how clean the plates are! It was regular client Geeta’s birthday, we all sang happy birthday and presented her with a cake and candle. As always it was hard work but truly a privilege to be a small part of this wonderful organisation.

Another Friday morning and another tea/coffee/cereal session at Ealing Soup Kitchen. The cereal table was started last year and is a great success - although I have to remember not to get the packets mixed up! This week’s favourite was Coco Pops 😊

I stayed on at the Soup Kitchen today for the lunch session, serving the clients with the delicious meal cooked by Chef Andrew. It’s always interesting chatting to the guests, both regulars and newcomers, and hearing their stories. As usual, it was a busy lunchtime and, once most people had been served, I took over washing up duties in the kitchen. It was a varied day with different chores making it all the more fun!