Community Lunch

A meal, a conversation and a place to belong

Every Saturday, UAA brings people together for a sit-down community meal at Leicester Street Community Centre. Food Larder volunteers, people receiving support, local residents, families and visitors share the same tables. There is no separate ‘service user’ space: the point is to eat together and feel part of the community.

The menu reflects the diversity of the people around the table. Over time, cooks have shared Nigerian, Ghanaian, Zimbabwean, Motswana, Ugandan, Kenyan, Namibian, Somalian, Chinese, Zambian and Malawian dishes. Jollof rice regularly appears – and the friendly Nigerian-Ghanaian debate about who makes the best version remains unresolved.

For someone who is isolated, the lunch can be as important for the conversation as for the food. Friendships have grown around the table, and people often hear about other UAA activities, volunteering or practical support while they are there.