Weoley Castle community centre feeds hundreds of people a week

Madeleine Finch started volunteering after the death of her partner

A community centre in Birmingham said it is providing hot meals for about 300 people every week due to the pressures of the cost of living crisis.

Food Cycle operates eight projects across the West Midlands and said it has never been busier.

No one has to pay for meals at the centre in Weoley Castle, which also provides an opportunity for locals to meet each other and make friends.

Volunteers also come from the area, including Madeleine Finch who is 89.

"I'm a very lonely lady and I took it hard when I lost my partner," she said.

"I wanted something to do for other people so it would make me feel better."

She helps prepare and serve the meals to her neighbours, who affectionally refer to her as "Nanna".

"It's just a joke and I love it," she said.

Food Cycle receives donations from local supermarkets of food that's no longer sellable and uses it to create three-course meals.

On the day the BBC visited, volunteers are preparing bruschetta, vegetarian shepherd's pie and fruit crumble for dessert.

'Breaking down barriers'

"We have volunteer teams who go out and collect the surplus food that would have otherwise been thrown away," volunteer Jody Beswick said.

"Fruits and veggies that have gone past their best before which are still perfectly fine to eat."

He said what makes Food Cycle different to a food bank is how they bring communities together.

The charity has done some research which suggests about a quarter of people eat alone and so they encourage visitors to eat together at the centre.

"People always converse over food, it's an age old thing" said Mr Beswick.

"The food is the vehicle to breaking down those barriers."

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There have been some calls for projects like Food Cycle to be means tested, however the charity is determined that everyone should be welcome.

"I don't think it should be means tested at all, definitely not," said volunteer Kirsty Preston.

"If they can save £5-10 a week on food by coming to one of these venues then that money can be saved for other things," she said.

"A nice day out, a trip for the school, whatever it might be, whatever they want to spend that extra money on."

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