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Father Edmund
18 June 2023
Spotlighting: Free Hot Meal
Father Edmund
What is the Saturday Hot Meal Provision?
It is as simple as this: anyone who would appreciate a hot meal, with a choice of main and choice of pudding, can have one! It is open to all: for some, a welcome hot meal in a time of difficulty at home, for others an opportunity for social time with others, making new friends, for others a chance to meet up
with old friends and parishioners they haven't seen for some time, not least because of the pandemic.
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A 'Companions’ Café’
This hot meal provision we are calling a ‘Companions’ Café’ and coming under the umbrella of The Companions of the Order of Malta. With their support and encouragement, we were able to launch on Saturday 20 May. The Companions Café model operates across the country and being ‘plugged in’ to the Order of Malta we have a structure of support, advice, best practice, and guidance that underpins our own
hot meal provision.
There are two developments that would really aid our provision of hot meals: the first, is upgrading the kitchen in Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish Centre to include chrome units and a proper extraction hood. The second is opening a entrance onto Whitby Road from the Parish Centre, thus re-orientating the Centre towards the town and opening up onto the main thoroughfare. The Parish Centre entrance is at the rear of the building - where those who know where it is can find it - but it would be ideal to reorientate our building towards the community we are striving to serve.
INVESTING IN FUTURE PROVISION
How you can help!
The hot meal provision has been possible because of an unexpected blessing: Roy Buckley. Roy is a local businessman and chef and offered his services every Saturday - despite going on to do a long shift in a pub
kitchen following - to serve our guests and provide a broad and varied choice of main course and puddings. Thank you, Roy and our excellent team of volunteers. This past Saturday, every seat was taken! A huge achievement - and thanks to everyone involved! The project is clearly serving a need and also providing wonderful social time, too!
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Spread the Word - and Try it Yourself!
Please pass along to family, friends, and parishioners the invitation to try this free hot meal provision. Why not come along yourself and treat yourself to fish and chips and some social time with others enjoying what’s on offer? The team of volunteers always needs new members to spread the responsibility across as
many as possible in the rota and also to involve as many parishioners as possible. I’ve also registered all our social projects as accredited work through the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, opening our projects to young people to see the importance of community service.
Anyone can join The Companions of the Order of Malta. My hope is that our team can become members so that they have the spiritual support of prayer, the opportunities to meet other groups nationally who run similar projects, and share a sense of mission and identity. Please visit The Companions’ website to learn more and to see what excellent works The Companions do across Great Britain: https://www.orderofmalta.org.uk/companions/
Please pray for those who have volunteered and for those enjoying and accessing the hot meal provision!
