Category: News

Coronavirus: update from Edinburgh

As part of our regular contact with centres on the Next Meal network, we asked Edinburgh City Mission for an update on their activities during the Covid-19 lockdown. Here’s what they told us.

Our services for people who are experiencing homelessness in Edinburgh are still running.

Maria Reyes, Edinburgh City Mission

The Care Van, our project run in partnership with Bethany Christian Trust, is still providing soup, food, hot drinks, encouragement and advice to up to 50 homeless and vulnerable people a night.

Edinburgh City Mission co-ordinates the evening rotas for 42 teams that are drawn from churches across the Lothians and includes over 750 volunteers. In terms of numbers, they are slowly rising again for the Care Van, from mid-20s before the restrictions to 43 on Monday. 

We are now also running two Soul Food ‘Grab & Go” Take Away Meals, one at City of Edinburgh Methodist Church in Newington, and one at Carrubbers Christian Centre on the High Street. Soul Food has also other partners around the city, all still providing now Take Away Meals in order to adjust to the crisis. In terms of numbers, they have also been increasing. This week in the two meals we run we had nearly 70 people. 

Colin Ramsay, Care Van volunteer

From all of us at Next Meal, a massive thank you to all the staff and volunteers in Edinburgh for keeping things going during these difficult times.

It’s Official: Next Meal Launched as a Charity

After years of hard work, countless hours of volunteer effort and many lives being changed, Next Meal has officially been launched as a charity.

The official launch was hosted at the House of Commons this month, an event that was attended by politicians, government officials, and volunteers.

It marks great progress for Next Meal since we first began in 2017.

Founder Martin Stone said he was extremely proud of how much Next Meal had grown in such a short time.

Martin’s pride was shared by several prominent officials at the launch, who acknowledged the great success of Next Meal and applauded the work being done.

NHS regional director for London Sir David Sloman said Next Meal did more than just help provide people with food.

“It’s not just about giving people a hot nutritious meal, it’s about bringing people together, to share stories, talk to each other and get some warmth in their lives.

“Something we take for granted, but which many many people don’t have.”

Maria Goddard of Whittington Hospital said Next Meal was making real changes to people’s lives.

“Feeding someone is such a basic expression of caring. Lives can be saved and I believe they already have been by this simple signposting.”

Comedian Sean Lock, a neighbour of Martin’s who also helped with the original launch of Next Meal,  shared a few laughs.

“I thought ‘Why not? Why not do something good? And maybe you’ll get something out of it for you – like George Clooney did for Nespresso’.

“I could be the Next Meal guy,” He joked.

The event was hosted by Hornsey and Wood Green MP Catherine West and Gravesham MP Adam Holloway.

Catherine said it was an honour to be associated with Next Meal and praised everyone involved.

Adam agreed and said there were a lot of soup kitchens in the country: “What this is doing is bringing them together.”

The launch followed another recent milestone, the second year of Next Meal Saturday.

Imagine If You Had the Power to Change Someone’s Life…

January 25, 2020, was a lot like many other winter’s days in the United Kingdom.

At a high of about 6degC it was not one you wanted to spend outside for long.

Across the country, people saw their friends, had a beer at the pub, watched football, and spent time with their families.

And on that same day, hundreds of people sat in the cold, shivering, hungry and alone – because they had nowhere else to go.

An estimated 320,000 people are homeless in the United Kingdom, according to statistics from homeless charity Shelter.

That’s why, on that same day – January 25, 2020 – volunteers went and handed out Next Meal cards and food to mark Next Meal Saturday.

Next Meal Saturday is the ambitious goal of giving a Next Meal card to every homeless or vulnerable person in the UK.

A Next Meal card is a way to raise awareness for the Next Meal website – which uses GPS to help people find their nearest soup kitchen, shelter, or day centre on any given day.

London lead the way, with volunteers at Kings Cross, Euston, and London Bridge handing out cards and food.

Next Meal founder Martin Stone marked the day in Exeter – where the city’s cathedral was lit up with Next Meal’s logo and message.

“Every card that was handed out carries the potential to change a life,” Martin said.

“Helping people find their nearest soup kitchen means they can get a regular source of food, some warmth, and even some genuine human interaction.

“Even just one card can make a huge difference.”

Next Meal Saturday started in 2019, with 2020 marking its second year.

“Next Meal Saturday is going from strength to strength,” Martin said.

“We’re looking forward to 2021 being even more successful.”

From a standing start, the Next Meal website now lists almost 400 centres offering food and support.

What is Next Meal Saturday?

January 25 is fast approaching and that means Next Meal Saturday is almost here.

But that may have you asking: ‘What is Next Meal Saturday?’

Next Meal Saturday is our ambitious goal of giving a Next Meal card to every homeless or vulnerable person in the UK.

A Next Meal card is more valuable than money. By giving it to someone, you’re helping them find the nearest soup kitchen, shelter, or day centre on any given day.

On January 25, volunteers will be on the streets handing out the cards to the homeless, hungry and vulnerable. 

“Even just one card can make a huge difference to someone’s life,” Next Meal founder Martin Stone said.

Next Meal Saturday started in 2019 and is now into its second year.

“Next Meal Saturday is going from strength to strength,” Martin said.

“We know it’s an ambitious goal, but that’s what Next Meal was set up for.”

This year Martin will be leading the cause from Exeter. But he encouraged people to get involved wherever they were.

Here’s how you can get involved:

  1. Go to Next Meal.co.uk.
  2. Find your nearest soup kitchen.
  3. Contact them and ask how you can help, or if you can pick up Next Meal cards.
  4. On January 25, give out a card- even just one card could make a huge difference.

Use the hashtag #NextMealSaturday on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to tell us how you got on. We’d love to hear from you.

Exeter launch on June 28

Exeter Cathedral

We are excited to announce that our Exeter launch will be held at the beautiful Exeter Cathedral on 28th June, with the Councillor Leader of Housing for Exeter in attendance along with extensive press and media support.

This completes a trilogy of successful launches in the South West, following Bristol and Plymouth.

If you are in the Exeter area please feel free to come along!

Next Meal is now a charity!

We are delighted to be able to announce that Next Meal is now a registered charity.

It is extraordinary what Next Meal has been able to achieve over the past years: no formal structure, less money, but a wonderful facility in the website, massive momentum and enormous goodwill.  All this and more has been created by everyone contributing to build something with the potential to achieve real change.

It’s wonderful that the Charity Commission, having looked really carefully at everything that Next Meal does and everything we plan to do, has decided that Next Meal really is working for the public benefit, helping some of the most vulnerable in our society.

Martin already has a great team behind Next Meal. He has gathered a board of enthusiastic trustees to lead Next Meal now that it’s a charity. Our determination is that from the amazing beginnings, Next Meal might become an ever-growing force for kindness and change.

Jonathan Ashley-Norman QC

Chair of the trustees.