Over 10,000 lockdown meals distributed by Worcester's Salvation Army
published on 8 Jul 2020
The Salvation Army has made and distributed over 10,000 meals - over 830 a week, for homeless people in Worcester who have been rehoused in hotels, bed and breakfast accommodation and centres across the city during lockdown.
Every day for the last three months, officers and volunteers have packed and delivered lunches to the Fownes Hotel so that the Caring for Communities and People charity and Worcester City Council can distribute them to people temporarily housed there.
The need is so great in the city that one homeless man who’s been fed by the team told them ‘you are life-savers, you guys have saved our lives’.
The Salvation Army in Worcester has delivered meals to people living in bed and breakfast accommodation and taken lunch packs to the Worcester Street Café which it distributes from tables on Copenhagen Street to people who are homeless, vulnerable, lonely or hungry.
It has also provided meals to Café Cadena - a Mediterranean café on The Cross, which it has passed it on people in need and the church and charity has also taken meals to homeless people who are staying at centres on Ombersley Road and Park Street during lockdown.
“The biggest challenge people have faced in Worcester is isolation and there is a real need here for ‘community’ which has been withdrawn as a result of coronavirus. We have had to re-think church and find new ways of involving our members and those we normally serve in our building."
“There’s a team of approximately 20 volunteers helping us out at Worcester Salvation Army and the majority are people who are furloughed from their jobs or unable to work within the current government restrictions.
“The Salvation Army is an integral part of Worcester Cares - an initiative which brings volunteer organisations together in Worcester. We’re working with Worcestershire Homeless Appeal and Worcestershire County Council to source food and this is boosted by donations from our own church members, local businesses and public donations. We have also been fortunate to receive a grant from Worcestershire Community Foundation and we would like to thank the people of Worcester for helping us to help others”