A community kitchen is looking for help to continue serving those in need after relocation plans were put on pause.
Daniel’s Kitchen has been running for over 20 years, and after plans to relocate were paused, they are now looking for a temporary home.
The group embraces the view of “just being there for each other” and uses this mentality to provide food support, mental health support, and community support to those who need it.
For example, since the pandemic, the group has delivered in excess of “a hundred thousand free meals” to those who need them.
Gi Grimsby News spoke with Paul Hugill MBE, the founder and director of Daniel’s Kitchen.
Since he was 19, Paul has been self-employed and has worked in different areas of the hospitality industry for over 30 years. Using his vast experience, he started Daniel’s Kitchen following his partnership with Daniel Solomon in 2001, but for many years their work was under the banner of the Priory Hotel, which is where the group was based until recently.
Paul said: “We do free meals, we repurpose food waste, we do counselling and mentoring, and all sorts of stuff. But the goal of what we do is one: trying to make sure that people have support when they need it, and two: making sure that people get stronger through the help that they get.”
“I personally believe that it’s not just charity; it’s just community. It’s just people being there for each other”, Paul added.
Some of the services that the group offers include food support, the delivering of free meals to the local community, and the repurposing of supermarket food waste into food boxes – food which would otherwise go to a landfill despite being in good condition.
“We’re able to take something which has no value and turn it into something that helps people get through what are increasingly challenging times for a number of people”, Paul added.
But now, their time at the Priory Hotel is coming to a close, and to continue the good work they are doing, the group will need a new location to work from.
The team primarily operates in Louth and along the fringes of the town, so they are looking for anyone with a spare kitchen or facilities to lend in that area. Whether it be a pub, café, restaurant, or hotel.
In an appeal online, the group outlined that they would need support on June 18th, 20th, 22nd, 27th, 29th, and July 2nd, 4th, and 9th.
“We’ll provide the ingredients, containers, and a pudding – you just bring the heat,” it added.
Paul said: “We’re scrambling to try and make sure that the food support continues until we find somewhere. We are in talks with different organisations and the local council, but nothing’s going to happen overnight.
“There are people who we support and who find that the meals are a lifeline for them. We’re very grateful for all support, but we find ourselves in a bit of a corner where we really need to figure out how we can continue feeding people in the interim.”
For those considering helping, the group’s Facebook page can be found using this link.
(Images: Daniel’s Kitchen CIC)
Reporter.
Part of the Gi Grimsby News team since 2024.