2024

East London  – Katherine Kilfedder 

Katherine is a committed lead volunteer, covering projects in Hackney, Islington and Stepney Green while also lending her time to projects in South London where cover is needed. She is kind, warm and welcoming, with a calm demeanour which allows her to be an effective leader, making her fellow volunteers feel confident in running a good session for their guests. Katherine has only been a volunteer for one year, but has already dedicated 400 hours to supporting FoodCycle which highlights her dedication. She brings a positive attitude to every session, and volunteers and guests alike have reported how much they enjoy attending the sessions that Katherine is running.  

East Midlands – Jason Ferguson 

Jason joined FoodCycle as a volunteer host and now leads the hosting team as a project lead, becoming a core part of the Broxtowe-Aspley project and leading the team with passion and enthusiasm each week. He is a calming influence in any situation and creates a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere for both guests and volunteers. Jason has built a rapport with the guests, who often ask after him if he is not there one session. He always goes the extra mile to make the meals as special as possible, including providing treats to share with the guests on the project’s 1st birthday. Jason is described as a local hero, volunteering at numerous charities in the area. He has built important connections throughout the community in this way, bringing more guests to the FoodCycle meals and also being able to signpost guests to relevant services where needed. 

 East of England – Joe Ward 

Joe first encountered FoodCycle as a guest attending the Milton Keynes project before become an integral part of the volunteering team. He is an avid artist and is in charge of designing the weekly menu board, making it colourful and inviting to welcome guests to the sessions. He also produced a handmade card for a volunteer who was leaving the project, adding a personal touch and helping the volunteer to feel appreciated. Joe is a great ambassador for FoodCycle, encouraging locals to come and join the meals and making connections with other local charities to help share resources. It is clear that FoodCycle has made a significant impact on Joe’s life and colleagues are pleased to see the contributions that he has made to the project in return. 

North and West London – Chris Sim 

Chris has given well over 1,000 hours to the Finsbury Park project and is essentially their ‘head chef’. He is passionate about food and this comes across clearly in the FoodCycle kitchen where he supports volunteers to experiment with recipes and teaches them what can be done with the time, equipment and ingredients at their disposal. He is always conscious of guests’ dietary requirements and preferences, while also encouraging them to step out of their comfort zone and try new things. Chris is well loved by guests and volunteers alike, opening their eyes to new cuisines and always coming up with new ideas for the menu. He has been part of the volunteer lead team for over 4 years and has become the heart and soul of the project. Chris is supportive when needed to diffuse difficult situations, and his warm and kind nature makes everyone feel welcome. 

North East – Joan Graves 

At age 81, Joan is a force of positive energy at FoodCycle Middlesborough and is the life and soul of the project. She is friendly, caring and welcoming to all, truly enriching the experience of guests and volunteers alike. She takes all of her volunteering duties in her stride and makes an extra effort to speak to the guests to make them feel welcome. Joan goes above and beyond for the project, even dashing home during a session to pick items up and ensure that the guests have all that they need. She treats everyone as equals and her impact on the project is immeasurable. Many of the volunteers refer to her as ‘Nan’ because of the way she cares for everyone. 

North West – Erica Thompson 

Erica lives next door to FoodCycle Wythenshawe and has been central to its running since the project opened in September 2021. She has taken on the role of lead host and also manages the store cupboard, collects donations, washes the aprons and oversees the cooking team when needed. Erica showed resilience through the rocky first few months of the project being open, always being there for guests and developing her own confidence. She is an effective leader, with many volunteers staying on thanks to her, and is focused on giving the guests a good experience and signposting them to any services that they might need. Erica is caring, passionate, helpful and enthusiastic and the project would be lost without her. 

South East – Lucy Pike 

Lucy has been volunteering at FoodCycle Aylesbury for around 18 months and has already given over 250 hours of her time, coming to the weekly sessions come rain or shine. She is the perfect host, friendly and caring while also calm and professional and she can be relied upon to always take a considerate approach to any issues. She always takes the time to sit and listen to guests, and signposts them to any services they might need. Lucy is a much-loved member of the team, always on hand to help new volunteers and making all the guests feel welcome. Her commitment is unwavering and those who volunteer with her are hugely complimentary. Lucy also handmade Christmas table decorations for the special session which brought a festive atmosphere and was well-received by the guests and volunteers alike.  

South London – Sam Bellas 

Sam is a fantastic cooking volunteer and lead at FoodCycle Mitcham, greatly contributing to the project’s success. He signs up for sessions well in advance, ensuring that the project is able to run sessions on a regular basis. Sam uses his skills as a highly trained cook to create new meals which are always incredibly well received by guests. He is enthusiastic about sharing his culinary knowledge with the team and is always open to suggestions about how the meals could be improved. Sam’s positive attitude and ability to motivate the team are truly commendable and his colleagues are always pleased to be on shift during a session with him. 

South West – Scott Shepherd 

Scott is a project leader at FoodCycle Bristol who has had a tremendous impact across the South West region. On many occasions, he has stepped in to cover projects across the region which would otherwise have been cancelled. His knowledge of cooking and innovative culinary style has inspired many of his fellow volunteers and he always supports others throughout their training. Scott has a great passion for FoodCycle and understands the needs of guests, going out of his way to create the best experience for them and encouraging conversations among them. He has given over 750 hours to FoodCycle and is truly dedicated to supporting the organisation. 

Wales – Daniel Priestly 

Dan leads the cooking team at FoodCycle Cardiff Riverside with a smile and has a warm presence which makes new volunteers feel part of the team straight away. He is approachable and always makes sure there is a calm environment during the sessions. Dan has become a familiar face at projects across Wales and has stepped in at the last minute to cover sessions so that they do not get cancelled – including once when he was just due to go on holiday. He has had a great impact in the community around his project and has given almost 200 hours of his time to support FoodCycle so far. 

West Midlands – Marie Mardenborough 

Marie has been a dedicated volunteer at FoodCycle Kingstanding in Birmingham for almost 3 years and is well known for her unwavering commitment and boundless energy. Beyond her regular duties as a lead volunteer, she is always ready to take on additional tasks whether that be supporting and training new volunteers or conducting outreach to secure more donations. Marie approaches every challenge with a can do attitude and her warm and compassionate nature makes her a favourite among the people she supports and works with. Her selfless contributions inspire those around her and she has made a profound impact on her local community. Marie is also an exceptional cook, bringing her Caribbean heritage to her dishes and producing amazing flavours.  

Yorkshire and The Humber – Christina Raeuber 

Christina is a conscientious, consistent and organised project leader who always has the interests of FoodCycle Seacroft in Leeds at heart. She often comes in an hour early to sort out donations in the store cupboard, is supportive of her volunteers and is always thinking about the long-term future of the project. Despite starting a new job in Hull soon, Christina will remain committed to her volunteering role and she has already asked for flexibility in her new role that she can be back in time for her shifts. She is a calm, kind and reliable volunteer and always has a smile on her face, even through the more difficult times at the project. No matter what she has going on in her personal life, Christina does her best to put the project first.