By Noreen Rees
Most people would probably agree that eating a hot meal specially cooked for you is one of life’s pleasures. One church in North Shields is offering home-cooked meals for free once a month. I visited North Shields Methodist Church in Hawkey’s Lane at the end of November to find out more about their new initiative, North Shields Eats (N-eats-S). The weather outside was damp, cold, and because it was 5pm, dark. However, as I pushed open the door, there was a blast of warmth from the kitchen and smiles from the volunteers on hand. There was also a wonderful smell of meals being cooked. On the menu that night were sausages, potatoes and other vegetables, as well as a choice of puddings.
For the church, the emphasis is on helping to meet the needs of people in North Shields who might be struggling to feed themselves and their families, and who would welcome ‘hospitality, friendship and a good meal.’ The monthly meals are planned until April. The first one was on 11th September when eight people turned up. Since then, numbers have grown. Including the planning group, there are nineteen volunteers drawn from various Methodist churches in the area. As well as help from their volunteers, N-eats-S are very grateful for the support of local businesses – Barry’s Fruit and Veg and North Shields Quality Butchers.
It had been decided to make this happen in light of the recent redevelopment and renovation work going on in the town. Although Hawkey’s Lane church is on the edge of North Shields, it’s extensively used by many community groups, catering for all ages. Before the scheme got off the ground, several volunteers took a course together. There was also much planning involved prior to the first N-eats-S event on 11th September.
On the evening I visited, Michael (not his real name) had arrived promptly and was tucking into sausages, peas and potatoes. He followed this up with apple crumble and custard – hearty, warm and filling. There were other choices on offer, including vegetarian, and these were listed on the menus placed on the tables.
I was surprised at the journeys on foot that several people had made. One guest had walked from Borough Road, another from Balkwell. Neither felt that this was out of the ordinary. I asked Bahroum – originally from Iran – what he felt was important about N-eats-S. ‘Here is a good place I enjoy,’ he told me. ‘Food is the best thing. Kind people to speak to.’ He explained that Farsi is his first language and he partly comes in order to improve his English.
Although Bahroum had been to previous N-eats-S meals, it was Anneka’s first visit. She had been in the Beacon Centre that morning when a woman had handed her a leaflet about it, and Anneka had decided to come on the spur of the moment. When I asked Anneka what was important about N-eats-S she said, ‘Getting together for a meal.’ I asked both Bahroum and Anneka what rating they’d give to the food, and they gave it a score of 4/5 and 5/5.
Later, when most people, including volunteers sitting alongside the guests, had been served, I talked to Jane, who is in charge of the cooking – quite a responsibility for a volunteer. However, she had previous experience running a community café in Chesterfield with her husband George before moving to the North East. Jane talked of the two-way relationship between the church and Barry’s Fruit and Veg and North Shields Quality Butchers. ‘It’s lovely to be able to support them by buying their produce,’ she said, adding that the two suppliers gave her some discount on the food. Jane told me that Morrisons had also been generous, giving the group vouchers to enable them to buy tea, coffee and other goods, which helped to offset the cost of providing the meal. I asked Jane what her favourite meal was to cook and she said Cottage Pie, followed by rhubarb from the garden with crumble and custard. Her showstopper pudding is Maltesers traybake. Maybe she’ll make it for the I Love North Shields team?!
There were many reasons for the volunteers giving their time to help cook and serve a meal. Some volunteers had spouses/partners who were already involved. Some people were bereaved and wanted to give back to the community. Many already volunteered at Hawkey’s Lane and other churches in the area.
Statistically, North Shields is classed as an area of deprivation. The largest group of residents (almost 20%) are aged 50-64, but after that only 8% of residents are aged 65-74 and only 4% aged 75-84*, which suggests that North Shields residents do not live as long as residents in other areas. Anecdotally, North Shields has a high proportion of people living alone. In this regard, initiatives such as N-eats-S can be a way of helping to combat social isolation, enabling people to access fresh food cooked from scratch, as well as form friendships with people living near them in the local community.
The next N-eats-S events are on 19th February and 19th March. There is no need to book for the free meal, just turn up at 5pm on the night. However, for more information and to give dietary requirements, please ring 0191 2515801.
*Source www.ilivehere.co.uk
