The Real Junk Food Café at All Hallows' Church in Leeds will feature on this Sunday’s Songs of Praise.
The café prepares meals from supermarket food destined for landfill and customers just pay what they feel able to – either with money or by volunteering some of their time. Food can also be taken away.
Associate Minister, the Revd David Randolph-Horn, says, "There’s real food poverty in our community and after seeing the Real Junk Food Cafe in Armley we wanted to set up our own. We're delighted that Songs of Praise has visited the café and we hope more people in need of food and friendship will find us - including refugees and asylum seekers as they’re often unable to work and many face serious challenges trying to feed their families.” (The church has also set up a support system for asylum seekers - 'Asylum Justice and Release'. Contact: ajarleeds@gmail.com).
Café manager, Emma Mawer, says, "We have three aims: to reduce waste, to reduce food poverty and to build community. The team is made up of people of many beliefs and people can volunteer in the café or in other local projects, setting up community connections in the area.
"It's not a 'church' cafe, it's a community cafe that is part of The Real Junk Food Project Network. It's only by being such, that we get so many people coming through the doors (both volunteers and customers) who've previously had no association with the church".
David says there are multiple reasons behind the current increase in food poverty: "Some people are in crisis when benefits don't arrive when expected or because their pay hasn't kept pace with inflation. And some of it is related to tougher testing for full disability benefit or credit traps created by the pay day loan companies.
“And grateful as we are for the donations of food, we also hope that grocers will begin to address the issue of food wastage.
“But it’s brilliant to see the cycle of prayer and action at All Hallows - prayer leads to action and action feeds our prayers, leading to new actions.”
Donations may be sent to All Hallows’ Community Project, 24 Regent Terrace, Leeds LS6 1NP.
The café will feature on Songs of Praise on Sunday 25 January, 4.35pm BBC 1.
The café began in the autumn and is open every Tuesday and Friday,10am-4pm.
Further details at: http://cafe.allhallowsleeds.org.uk or https://www.facebook.com/allhallowscafe
Contact: Revd David Randolph-Horn: 0113 229546, 07930815911 or Emma Mawer.
http://allhallowsleeds.org.uk/