Surely we've all got a spare bauble hanging rahnd the place...
Most of us pack on a few extra pounds during the festive season, then spend January trying to tuck in that gut. But for some, the overloaded table and surrounding conversations are not an option to bemoan when reconsidering that sixth sausage roll or having to belligerently listen to your nan’s annual story that seems to expand in epic scope each year.
Thankfully, there’s a community meal scheme down at the Vine Community Centre where we can all pitch in, get our community spirit on and help provide those less fortunate with a hot meal and some stirring conversation. Set up for Fridays, as the end of the week is when people need it most, there’s a whole heap of ways to get stuck in and lend a hand. Friday Food N Friends aims to offer those who've become socially isolated for whatever reasons, be it recently finding themselves unemployed, bereaved, left at home alone or just feeling in need of a little help and a good natter this winter, a welcoming space at the end of the week.
The centre offers up a three-course, home-cooked meal, always with meat and veggie options available, not to mention being considerate of all beliefs when it comes to tucking in. Volunteers from all different sorts of gaffs get involved too, so you’re likely to find yourself sampling everything from Romani to Indian, Syrian and Hungarian dishes and whatever mad culinary skills you bring yourself. So why not come down, whether it’s to whip up something warm and welcoming, sud diving afterwards or just coming down for a friendly natter.
This year, the same lovely people have managed to lock down a Christmas Day dinner, with lots of brilliant help coming in from UKFoodaid, Himmah, Annie's Burger Shack, and them at Friday Food N Friends. But a turkey or your veggie nut roast is just not the same without brightly coloured baubles and a tonnage of dangly paper, so what we’re asking for your help with is to provide as many Christmas decorations as the centre will physically hold. Let's make the Vine Centre more than just a name and hang enough festive cheer to swing a Christmas tarzan from. The meal kicks off at 2pm and is set to be a traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings, the least we can do is decorate the halls. Also, if anyone would like to make a donation of any kind – whether that's cash, food, tea, or coffee – the troops would be really grateful, and would of course invite yous in for supper and cuppa.
Please drop off Christmas decorations to The Vine Community Centre, Bobbers Mill Road, NG7 5GZ.
If you’d like to get involved with Friday Food n Friends, call 0115 924 9700 or email fridayfoodnfriends@gmail.com
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