Call Sign November 2008 - Page 17 - HOW YOU CAN HELP THOSE WITH HIV IN LONDON

HOW YOU CAN HELP THOSE WITH HIV IN LONDON

Not a subject that Call Sign normally delves in, but nevertheless the problem is there – and you could be part of a solution alongside The Food Chain.
   Every Sunday morning, teams of volunteers get together at six borrowed kitchens across London to plan, prepare, cook and deliver meals to some of London’s growing population of people who are living with HIV. With over 650 meals to deliver - The Food Chain has been providing its meal service every Sunday for 20 years - the Charity is always looking for volunteer drivers to get more meals to more service users. Can any Dial-a-Cab drivers help?
   The Food Chain was started at Christmas 1988 by a group of friends who sought to bring a smile, as well as a hot meal, to those they knew were unwell with Aids and HIV. From that tiny start, the charity has grown over the years to deliver meals right across London, as well as other nutritional services such as grocery boxes, emergency hampers and nutritional advice. With kitchens in Kentish Town, Highbury, Stepney Green, Bermondsey, Tooting and Hammersmith, there is probably one quite near to you. And remember The Food Chain Sunday Service is entirely staffed by volunteers – almost 1,000 in total.
   These are the words of one Food Chain service user: "I had not eaten properly for weeks before I got my first meal from you. I had been so ill and felt too weak to cook. I could not believe the wonderful food you sent for me and my daughter and I thank everyone."
   The Food Chain makes a great difference to the lives of its

You can deliver the food in your car or cab - what is important is that you are helping those who need that help

service users, but there are many more people living with HIV in London that need the nutritional support The Food Chain Sunday Service can provide. But to make this possible The Food Chain needs more help – could that be you?
   It isn’t difficult to recruit volunteers to help with cooking on a Sunday, but it is hard to find drivers with their own vehicles willing to give up part of their Sunday to help out. The Food Chain is particularly keen to expand the number of people in east London who receive Sunday meals, but they can’t do that without more volunteer drivers.
   Volunteer Food chain drivers work with a volunteer navigator to deliver hot and cold meals to 8 - 10 service users from 11am to 3pm. Dial-a-Cab drivers probably wouldn’t even need the navigator other than as a helper! The Food Chain asks all volunteers to make a commitment of one Sunday a month, though which Sunday is up to you. It’s not a big commitment, but it will make a big difference to how many people The Food Chain can reach with its meal service. The Food Chain will reimburse fuel costs should that be a deterrent to volunteering.
   Food Chain drivers need to be reliable, organised, have a UK valid driving licence and insurance and access to a vehicle large enough to fit you, a hot and cold box and a navigator. If that sounds like you (and your taxi?) and you are interested in making a difference to the lives of some of London’s HIV population, please consider calling The Food Chain.
   More information about what The Food Chain does and a copy of their volunteer application form can be found at www.foodchain.org.uk. If you would like to speak to someone about what volunteering involves, then you can also contact The Food Chain’s Volunteer Administrator at chris.gurney@foodchain.org.uk or call 020 7354 0333.

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