The College has decided to host a Charity Lunch on Wednesday 25th November, in which a low-cost meal of soup or rice and chicken will be served instead of a standard lunch. Each participant will pay £3 for their meal, of which £1.75 will go directly to the CAFOD Hands On Project.

The project has been set up by student Leonora Campbell with the support of the JCR. The objective is to not only raise money but to raise awareness of food poverty and waste.

Leonora says: “In the approach to the holiday season – a time of festivity, giving and love – one cannot help but think of the excessiveness of the Western world. We give away, yes; but alongside generosity, we waste. Discarded food is prevalent everywhere: in the carrots that supermarkets refuse to sell because they’re not the ‘ideal’ shape; in the surplus food that goes off in our fridges before we get around to eating it; in the Christmas leftovers that go in the bin. I am urging you to think about these examples and do something constructive with just one meal.

“The CAFOD project we will be helping works in the world’s poorest country – Niger.  The Muslim community of Doutchi live in an area where arid conditions make the production of food particularly difficult. Families are surviving on just one meal per day. The funds raised by us on 25th November will help the people who live there to buy the tools they need to plough the ground effectively; it will also help them buy seeds, chickens and goats. Above all, the lunch will transform our excess into a sustainable food supply.

“This is an invitation to join University College for lunch on the 25th November from 12:15 – 14:00. Let’s all come together and do something positive by showing we understand the real value of food.”

There will also be another meal for those who would like to opt out.

Note for staff: We would love the staff to support this project as well as the students. Staff who choose to join in should pay the charge of £3 in cash instead of using their staff swipe cards. There will also be a donation bucket in the Buttery.

Published: 23 November 2015

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