FoodCycle urges Londoners to share 'Peas & Love' this summer by volunteering to feed local communities

Community dining charity FoodCycle has to fill around 3,250 volunteering slots to help keep its community meals going across the city during the holiday season.

Each week FoodCycle volunteers provide nourishing vegetarian meals made using surplus food that would otherwise go to waste, served in a friendly and welcoming atmosphere, free to anyone who needs them.

The charity is encouraging Londoners to make 2025 a ‘Summer of Peas & Love’, by signing up to volunteer even just once or twice a month, at one of around 30 projects across the city.

Volunteering opportunities can be found via the charity's website including at: FoodCycle East Ham, where meals are served on Tuesdays at 7pm; FoodCycle Barking - served Sundays 1pm; FoodCycle Fulham Court - served Mondays 6.30pm; FoodCycle Roehampton - served Saturdays at 5pm; and FoodCycle Thornton Heath - served Saturdays at 12.30pm.

It comes as demand for FoodCycle meals has risen by 17% in the last year, as the high cost of living and rising levels of loneliness means many people are in need of free food and company.

Across London FoodCycle volunteers served 60,843 meals in 2024, saving more than 118 tonnes of surplus food from going to waste. Nationally the charity served more than 163,000 free meals last year, and saved 320 tonnes of surplus food from going to landfill.

Keen cooks, servers, and washer-uppers are needed to help alleviate a seasonal drop in volunteer numbers throughout the summer, as regular volunteers take holidays, students return home, and parents and grandparents have less free time to offer.

FoodCycle CEO Sophie Tebbets said:“Every summer, we see a drop in volunteer numbers – with students heading home, parents and grandparents having less free time, and regular volunteers taking well-earned holidays. This summer the need is greater than ever, with almost 10,000 volunteer sessions to fill nationally.

“At the same time, demand for our meals continues to rise. We know what a huge difference our community meals make – alleviating hunger, loneliness and food waste, while boosting mental wellbeing and building stronger communities. It’s shocking that three-quarters of the guests we surveyed last year said they couldn’t afford to buy the food they need – and around four in ten don’t have access to an oven.

“That’s why we’re asking people to make this a ‘Summer of Peas & Love’ by signing up to volunteer. Even just once a month can help someone in your community enjoy a hot, nutritious meal in a welcoming space. Please join us at your local project this summer. Once you see the difference it makes, you won’t regret it.”

FoodCycle’s free community meals are open to everyone to come and share a meal. Guests range from low-income families, people affected by homelessness, people facing loneliness and those who simply cannot afford to buy food, or struggle to cook for themselves. No questions asked, you can just turn up and take a seat.

A recent FoodCycle survey of guests carried out nationally last year found 67% eat most meals alone; 70% have skipped meals; 41% don’t have access to an oven, and 75% couldn’t afford to buy the food they need.

The findings suggest FoodCycle’s community meals model works to support people’s wellbeing, with 83% of guests feeling happier after attending; 78% feel less lonely and 76% eat more fruit and vegetables as a result.

Volunteer roles at FoodCycle are open to anyone over 18 and there is no minimum weekly commitment. Roles are inclusive and range from food collection to surplus food coordinators, to cooking in the kitchen or hosting out front. No experience is needed and training is provided. Volunteers are invited to carve out their own niche from master chef to tea-maker to washer-up to veg chopper.

Sign up to volunteer: https://foodcycle.org.uk/volunteer-london/

Donate to support FoodCycle: https://foodcycle.org.uk/donate/

FoodCycle London meals open to the public:

•FoodCycle Barking - Sundays at 1pm at Al Madina Mosque, 2 Victoria Road, Barking, IG11 8PY

•FoodCycle Fulham Court - Mondays at 6.30pm at Family Hub Tudor Rose Community Centre, Fulham Ct, London SW6 5PG

•FoodCycle Camden - Tuesdays from 5pm at 67 Plender Street, NW1 0LB (access via front door of Saint Pancras Community Centre)

•FoodCycle Wembley - Tuesdays from 6.30pm at Park Lane Methodist Church, Park Lane, Wembley, London, HA9 7SG

•FoodCycle East Ham - Tuesdays at 7pm at Pilgrims Way Church, Pilgrims Way, East Ham, London, E6 1HW

•FoodCycle London Old Street - Tuesdays at 7pm, at the Vibast Community Centre, 167 Old Street, London, EC1V 9NH

•FoodCycle Islington - Wednesdays at 1pm at New River Baptist Church, 80 Arran Walk, London, N1 2TL

•FoodCycle Lewisham – Wednesdays at 1.30pm at Lewisham Irish Community Centre, 2A Davenport Road, London, SE6 2AZ

•FoodCycle Peckham - Wednesdays at 5pm at All Saint's Church, Blenheim Grove, London, SE15 4QS

•FoodCycle Tottenham - Wednesdays at 7pm at St Paul's Church, 60 Park Lane London N17 0JR

•FoodCycle Marylebone - Wednesdays at 6pm at St Paul's Church, 5 Rossmore Road, London, NW1 6NJ

•FoodCycle Hackney - Thursdays at 12.30pm at New Kingshold Community Centre, 49 Ainsworth Road, London, E9 7LP

•FoodCycle Walthamstow - Thursdays at 6.30pm at St Mary’s Welcome Centre on Church End, E17 9RH

•FoodCycle Mitcham - Thursdays at 6.30pm at Togetherness Community Centre, Wakefield Hall, Taylor Road, London CR4 3JR

•FoodCycle Wandsworth Road - Fridays at 12.30pm at Christ Church Community Hall, 41 Union Grove, London, SW8 2QJ

•FoodCycle Woolwich - Fridays at 12.30pm at Woolwich Common Community Centre, 17 Leslie Smith Square, London SE18 4DW

•FoodCycle Bow Road - Fridays at 7pm at Bow Road Methodist Church, 1 Merchant Street, London, E3 4LY

•FoodCycle Thornton Heath - Saturdays at 12.30pm at St Alban's Church Hall, 1 Whitehorse Lane, London SE25 6RD

•FoodCycle Finsbury Park - Saturdays at 1pm at Finsbury Park Community Hub, Corker Walk, London, N7 7RY

•FoodCycle Kilburn - Saturdays at 1pm at St. Cuthbert's Parish Church, Fordwych Road, West Hampstead, London, NW2 3TN

•FoodCycle White City - Saturdays at 1pm at Our Lady of Fatima Parish Centre, Commonwealth Avenue, London, W12 7QR

•FoodCycle Lewisham - Saturdays at 1.15pm at Lewisham Irish Community Centre, 2A Davenport Road, London, SE6 2AZ

•FoodCycle Roehampton - Saturdays at 5pm at Roehampton Methodist Church, Minstead Gardens, Roehampton, London, SW15 4EB

•FoodCycle Peckham - Saturdays at 5.30pm at All Saint's Church, Blenheim Grove, London, SE15 4QS