Stocks● Neutral
Volunteering at Sheffield food charity saved me from loneliness
After his marriage collapsed, Ian White was suicidal and lost 8 stone. A free meal charity gave him purpose. Now he volunteers at FoodCycle in Sheffield. The charity needs more volunteers.
Continue with
Three years ago, Ian White was left feeling suicidal after his marriage collapsed. The 61-year-old grandfather lost 8 stone (51kg) in a single year, eating poorly and living alone in Sheffield.
A friend suggested FoodCycle, a charity that turns surplus food into free three-course meals. White was nervous about attending. "There were lots of people I didn't know and I'm not a confident eater in front of strangers," he said. "I got used to it, and now I'll eat anywhere."
FoodCycle runs weekly community meals where volunteers cook and serve food that would otherwise go to waste. For more than two years, White regularly showed up on Tuesday evenings before deciding to volunteer himself.
"I wanted to help, because of what they've given to me over the years," he said.
White now leads the front-of-house team at the Primrose Hill session in Sheffield. His old hospitality skills, learned as a pub landlord, come in handy. He serves dishes and chats with guests. The social connection has been a lifeline.