General Meeting - Live - Speaker Anna Mantell Foodfriends

Thursday, August 12^th – Anna Mantell, founder of Food Friends

Set up by Anna in 2019, Food Friends is a Whitstable charity that connects volunteers offering extra portions of home-cooked food with members of the local community who would benefit from a warm meal and a friendly chat.

ROTARY CLUB OF CHESTFIELD

Breakfast Meeting 07.30am 12^th August 2021 @ The Plough

Present:               Lesley; Dave C; Jackie; Pippa & Spyros; David K; David M; Marion; Pat; Nick; Godfrey; Andrew & Jean M; Robert; Margaret; Paul; Andrew B.  Pete & Kathy joined on Zoom.

Apologies:           Elaine; Hilary; David B; Iain.

Guests:                Lesley welcomed our speaker for this morning, Anna Mantell from Food Friends.

Grace:                   Said by Paul.

Almoner:             Jackie reported that Reggie is feeling better; he is waiting for an angiogram.

Upcoming Events:  Andrew B reminded members about the Herne & Broomfield Fun Day on 22^ndAugust.  This needs volunteers to act as marshals for the car park.  We ought to help out; we borrow their trailer for our Christmas run.  Andrew has put a sheet in the Events folder.

                                Lesley reminded Dave that she will need the folder at the social night at Mucini’s on Thursday.  Dave not going on Thursday; will pass it to her on Tuesday at the Board meeting. 

                                Dave needs to insert sheets into the folder for:

·         The Quiz Night on Saturday 13^thNovember @ All Saints

·         The Charity Golf Day on 10^thSeptember

                                Lesley and Robert are due to meet the new chef at the golf club before our breakfast meeting next week.  They will ask the latter about the menu for the Light Breakfast.  Members commented that for evening meetings a carvery would be a popular option.

Speaker:              Lesley introduced Anna who spoke to us about Food Friends.  FF’s main purpose is to combat social isolation and loneliness through sharing meals.  FF started at the end of 2018 and is now a registered charity.  Volunteers range in age from 18 to 80; what connects them is a love of food and an ability to connect with other people.  Usually volunteers will contact their food friend and share a meal once a week.  The charity is now also experimenting with small Covid-safe gatherings for people who haven’t been out socially for perhaps months.  Referrals (which usually come through professional in the care sector) have quadrupled during lockdown.  FF has been working with local restaurants to deliver family meals.  Beneficiaries are usually over 65 years, but some are younger.  A major cost for the organisation is having to pay for all volunteers (of which there are now c. 100) to be DBS-cleared.  Anna’s current concern is to keep up the momentum now that lockdown is coming to an end; loneliness is not just a pandemic phenomenon.  There is apparently only one other similar project in the UK – in Scotland.

Any Other Business:  Godfrey said that the latest car parking day was very successful.  At one point there was no more room in the car park.  Godfrey recommended that we all use the walkie-talkies to communicate between to top and bottom end of the car park.  The next one will be on 29^th August.

                                Margaret reported that she attended a Zoom meeting re Youth Opportunities.  Kathy also attended this.  Margaret will talk about the Young Chef competition.

                                Lesley reported that all members are now either on a committee, or they have some other role within the club.

Greeting from Other Clubs:  Andrew B was speaking to Chris Chesholm from the Weald of Kent club.  Andrew M said he had a long talk while car parking with a lady from Watford club; she thought the car parking was an excellent fund raiser for our club.

Raffle:                   There were two winners: Nick and Spyros.  Margaret said that more prizes are needed.

Master-at-Arms:  Nick did his thing.

Next Meeting:

Thursday 19^th August @ 07.15am at Chestfield Golf Club