Many thanks for everyone's input - very helpful. I will need to visit and speak with a few individuals and organisations and figure out whether this is actually feasible - or even wanted. There is no wish to tread on anyone's toes here; I had at first thought that St Paul's would be a good venue, forgetting that there was already a café operating there. I doubt whether the library would have either the facilities or the desire to host an initiative of this sort. Equally, I have no wish to deprive the food bank of essential supplies destined for individuals and families in need. It's possible that our local supermarkets would consider donating unused food, however many now have centralised donation plans, and possibly donate directly to Hounslow Foodbox or Trussell Trust-approved organisations. Additionally, I would doubt very much whether anyone would be willing to absorb the energy costs in setting up something of this sort; both cooking and lunch service would use gas and electricity which would need to be paid for. I'm not sure that there's a lot of scope, venue-wise. Incidentally, I had not envisioned this as a facility solely for pensioners. It would be there for everyone in need of sustenance and company, no barrier of age, no judgement. Regarding insurance, I believe that most spaces have some sort of Public Liability cover. It may be that the individual or organisation using the space would require an additional, or more specific, policy. Again, it's something that needs research. Food safety is always paramount. It might even be that commercial kitchens attached to these sorts of spaces require up-to-date Food Hygiene certificates to be held by the people volunteering there (possibly a minimum of Level 2). I have no wish for this to become some vast, bureaucratic nightmare. It was just a thought - perhaps something that might bring a sense of community and cheer during what is likely to be a period of very dark days ahead. Good, nourishing food, however simple, makes a huge difference to one's sense of wellbeing. A cheerful interaction, however brief, can make a profound difference to someone's day. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to provide that, even for a few short weeks over what's going to be a very tough winter? Again, if anyone has insider knowledge and is willing to share, that would be incredibly helpful. Thanks in advance.

Entire Thread

Topic	Date Posted	Posted By
Soup Club?	26/10/22 19:58:00	Tracie Dudley Craig
Re:Soup Club?	26/10/22 22:02:00	Anne England
Re:Re:Soup Club?	26/10/22 23:11:00	Tracie Dudley Craig
Re:Re:Re:Soup Club?	27/10/22 00:44:00	Anne England
Re:Re:Re:Re:Soup Club?	27/10/22 01:27:00	Jim Lawes
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Soup Club?	27/10/22 01:37:00	Jim Lawes
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Soup Club?	27/10/22 11:32:00	Sarah Felstead
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Soup Club?	27/10/22 11:48:00	Chris Dakers
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Soup Club?	27/10/22 13:30:00	Anne England
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Soup Club?	27/10/22 13:34:00	Anne England
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Soup Club?	27/10/22 13:28:00	Anne England
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Soup Club?	27/10/22 14:24:00	Tracie Dudley Craig
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Soup Club?	28/10/22 00:21:00	Jim Lawes
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Soup Club?	28/10/22 19:42:00	Hazel Dakers
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Soup Club?	28/10/22 21:31:00	Sarah Felstead
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Soup Club?	29/10/22 09:29:00	Raymond Havelock
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Soup Club?	30/10/22 18:03:00	Tracie Dudley Craig
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Soup Club?	30/10/22 21:26:00	Jim Lawes
Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Soup Club?	30/10/22 23:51:00	Jim Lawes
Re:Soup Club?	06/11/22 12:02:00	Kitty Tessler
Re:Re:Soup Club?	07/11/22 11:42:00	Raymond Havelock
Re:Soup Club?	11/11/22 17:35:00	Teresa Anderson

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