As temperatures dropped and winter set in, there were some young people who may not have had the luxury of having a warm meal. In light of this, during the winter from November to March, we were offering a free hot meal to all young people during every evening and weekend session.
Future was dedicated to ensuring that every young person had access to nutritious food, regardless of their circumstances. Our aim was to alleviate food insecurity and guarantee that no young person went hungry during the winter season. Our catering staff did an incredible job of ensuring we could provide enough meals for each young person, during these sessions. In total we served 9969 free hot meals!
This programme reflects our commitment to being a warm and safe space for young people to go in their leisure time, and building a community that supports its most vulnerable members. We know that a hot meal can go a long way in bringing comfort and warmth to those who need it most. Through this program, we hope to spread joy and kindness during the winter season.
Together, we can make a difference in the lives of young people in our community.
This programme was only made possible by Barry Hearn, who supported this to ensure young people would receive free meals over the winter period.
Gilbert, a young person, said:
“I remember coming in on Monday and asking Abi ‘can we get free food like this everyday? Abi explained why we can’t have it like this every day, and I understood. I thanked Abi because I really appreciated the food, sometimes I don’t have the money so I couldn’t even afford the £1 hot meal on sessions, after a basketball match, I would just watch my friends eat but this time round I could eat with my friends.”
