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A thread on how myself and @barnetleague supplied 1200 meals to local schools every day this week...
On the Friday before schools across North London broke up it was suggested by one member of the @barnetleague committee that we should donate some money to a local food bank to help feed children who would be going without free school meals over the course of the half term.
After a little discussion our plans changed slightly and we were on the hunt for a local restaurant who we could donate to so that they could subsidise meals for children.
This is where @parsasadigh stepped in, when I put a message in my Sunday League sides WhatsApp group about finding a restaurant, he mentioned his connection with @mesutozil1088 and the fact that together they had been supplying meals to @unitasyz since the beginning of…
…lockdown. Parsa told me that Mesut would be interested in partnering up with the league to provide meals for schools as well as Unitas.
So we had the backing of a Premier League superstar and we had the volunteers ready to make things happen but we had no meals to dish out. Enter, Stefan Pappert CBE of @chefsgerman. Let me tell you now, this man is a hero!
After working his shift at 39 Steps everyday he agreed to lend us his kitchen and his time to prepare 1400 meals a day for us to distribute to school children. WHAT A MAN!
Now we had the backing, the volunteers and the meals but we didn’t have any schools to send them to.
Now we had the backing, the volunteers and the meals but we didn’t have any schools to send them to.
Thankfully I happen to be quite well acquainted with a local primary school teacher.
I pestered @daniellehopey for some contacts at local schools and between her and her headteacher at Cranbourne Primary, Claire Kielty, I managed to get in touch with Roz Maclaren of the Ivy Learning Trust, she in turn connected me with a number of schools including her sisters…
…school Martin Primary. Ziz Chater the head at Martin proceeded to spread the word and before we knew we had 12 separate schools signed up for upwards of 1200 meals.
By Monday morning we were ready to go, we had a team of volunteers helping Stefan and Parsa at the kitchen through the night and a further team to deliver them the following morning.
Special mentions to Sam Fowler, Nick Chawner, Suzanne Sullivan, Rob Brassett who along with their friends have picked up multiple shifts this week.
The final piece of the puzzle was finding a home for any leftover meals that the schools were unable to distribute.
The final piece of the puzzle was finding a home for any leftover meals that the schools were unable to distribute.
Thankfully we were quickly introduced to the lovely people at @felixprojectuk. They are a charity committed to redistributing food that would otherwise go to waste. Perfect.
Our drivers now had an extra task, pick up any leftovers and deliver them to Felix in Enfield for redistribution to shelters, churches and schools the following day.
Later on in the week we were still welcoming extra schools (St James’ and Cuckoo Academy) as well as St James’ Church in Enfield.
Over the course of the week we have delivered around 5000 meals to 14 different locations and have also managed to raise nearly five times our original target of £1000. My sincerest thanks to everyone who has donated and spread the word you are just as important as anyone else.
From a personal perspective this has been a much welcome change from the mundanity of COVID enforced unemployment, having something to throw myself at has pulled me back from the edge of one of my depressive episodes.
As such I am grateful to everyone who has helped make this possible.
Now onto the people that need special mentions. I’m going to start with my partner in crime through this whole thing @sullymatee, Dom has put on a logistical masterclass over the last week.
Now onto the people that need special mentions. I’m going to start with my partner in crime through this whole thing @sullymatee, Dom has put on a logistical masterclass over the last week.
He has organised volunteers to perfection; cooking in the kitchen, dropping off meals at schools, collecting leftovers, handing out meals, the list goes on and Dom has organised all of it. Well played mate!
Next up is another member of the BSFL committee @johneager93, his work on our social media platforms has been exemplary this week, making sure everyone was aware of what we were doing and not only that he has been constantly pestering news outlets to give us some airtime.
This has led to nationwide coverage in the written press and a feature that will be aired on Sky News this Saturday, courtesy of @esadiya.
Now for the two men that I cannot say enough about. Parsa Sadigh and our chef Stefan Pappert.
Now for the two men that I cannot say enough about. Parsa Sadigh and our chef Stefan Pappert.
These two have worked non-stop all week, preparing, cooking and packaging meals at all hours. I know for a fact that Parsa has slept on the sofa at 39 Steps this week and it wouldn’t surprise me if Stefan had as well.
Moving swiftly on I have to thank our army of volunteers who have been working all hours this week to make sure that everything ran as smoothly as possible.
Not all of them are on Twitter but here are some that are @taxisuzie @millhillcf @nick_w_c @tomjeffreySTEM @andrewlav @tobaloba_ @rushivyas5 @shanamakopa @robbrassett61 @alf_colman @el_kaye_ @izzybullen
Now for the people that have looked after their kids beyond the call of duty.
A huge shoutout to Claire Kielty of @cranborneschool, Roger Billing of @wroxhamschool, Alex Banks of @wessexgardens, Ziz Chater or Martin, Eleanor Painter of @brimsdownps, Chris Flathers of @theorionschool and @goldiesschool, Lucy Baker of @dollisschool, Alison Jacobs of…
… @edgwareschool, Danielle Barker of @schoolnorthway, Carole Cately of Deansbrook, Roz Kimani of Holy Trinity, Wendy Bowstead of @cuckooacademy, Sejal Petal of Whitings Hill, Rev. Ian Gallagher of @stjamesenfhwy and finally Roz Maclaren of @ivy_trust.
Finally I need to thank @mesutozil1088 for making all of this possible, it’s tough to say as a lifelong Tottenham fan but he is a true gent and a genuinely wonderful human being.
Please head over to https://gf.me/u/y54qy9 to help us reach our target.
Please head over to https://gf.me/u/y54qy9 to help us reach our target.
This week has been incredible, look out for an announcement of what we might have planned for the Christmas holidays.
#ENDCHILDFOODPOVERTY
#ENDCHILDFOODPOVERTY
