OUR COMMUNITY KITCHEN
- Whilst working on writing reports Elaine (OCK's Founder) has had time to reflect on the charity’s performance over the last year. She noticed that whilst the disruption of the covid-19 pandemic has changed the way OCK has been operating she has been very proud of the way the team has pulled together to provide meals for those isolated and vulnerable at home throughout the course of the pandemic. Elaine has been reflecting on volunteer time that has gone into the number of meals produced and delivered, the kindness calls to people at home and all the other work behind the scenes. There has been tremendous community support from local people, businesses, and organisations. During the covid months when people were particularly isolated and vulnerable, OCK:
- Prepared, cooked, and delivered 11,587 mainly hot and some frozen nutritious meals to local vulnerable people at home.
- Made 10.110 kindness calls
- Served 1,200 nutritious home-cooked meals (since some people have begun to re-join OCK)
- 64 community patrons have supported OCK
- 71 community volunteers have given 11,612 hours to support our local community through OCK, which at a minimum wage standard is equivalent to £103,000
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- OCK's social get together nights have launched and are a success, seeing members of the community (who are normally isolated) dancing, singing and chatting. It has been great to see individuals enjoying themselves in a similar way to pre pandemic times.
- "How we used to be" has been proposed as an initiative to allow the community kitchen participants to bring in photographs from their life and talk about their experiences.”