Kindhearted gran wins volunteering award for helping feed the community, at FoodCycle Havant
A community cook who turned her passion for food and friendship into a way to help others, has won a volunteering award after helping serve thousands of free meals for Havant people.
Retired support worker Lesley Clements, 68, has volunteered for three years as a cooking team leader at the FoodCycle Havant community meal - helping tackle hunger, loneliness and food waste.
Each week the team turns surplus food that would otherwise go to waste into tasty three-course meals for anyone who wants them.
Served at 6.30pm every Thursday at St Joseph’s Church on West Street, the project is run by UK community dining charity FoodCycle – which also has projects in Portsmouth, High Wycombe, Slough and Southampton.
Now Lesley, a mum-of-four daughters with nine grandchildren has been named South East winner of FoodCycle’s Regional Volunteer of the Year Awards 2025.
Run in partnership with the Marsh Charitable Trust, the awards celebrate the exceptional dedication, kindness, and commitment of FoodCycle volunteers who go above and beyond to support their local communities.
Lesley started volunteering with Foodcycle in winter 2022 and has since given more than 590 hours to helping at the Havant community meal.
Lesley was nominated by fellow FoodCycle volunteers, who praised her warm, welcoming, friendly, organised and positive approach – helping cook meals and also source local food supplies.
One said: “Lesley is the life and soul of the place at Havant, she is held in high regard by volunteers and guests alike. Everyone goes away well fed, and I'm sure feeling a lot better than before they came to the FoodCycle.”
Another said: “Lesley creates such a positive light-hearted atmosphere, always a fun place to be. And another: "She is fun and brings laughs! Her approach ensures we always produce a scrumptious three course meal for our guests, with whatever food donations we receive.”
On winning the award, Lesley said: “I’m very pleased and overwhelmed to be recognised for something that I love doing. It’s an absolute privilege to me.”
Lesley first got involved as she was searching for local volunteering opportunities and liked the idea of a project involving food.
She said: “I love cooking and I love giving people pleasure of eating food. Having a family, I’ve always loved cooking, I don't cook for them now, so it's a bit of a buzz for me.”
Lesley enjoys chatting with local guests and providing nutritious meals. She says: “I think it makes an enormous difference, because not only are our guests having a fresh meal cooked for them, but it’s three courses of vegetarian food, which probably a lot of people have never experienced before. It's opened my views to vegetarian food and the benefits of it. It’s good for people because they’re eating more vegetables. The guests are all so lovely and every week they'll say to me: that's 10 out of 10, or event 12 out of 10 that meal! So you get feedback through the guests, and we have a laugh too.”
Lesley said volunteering for the charity has also been beneficial for her: “I've made loads of really lovely friends, that's one of the main benefits I think, especially for people who are lonely or retired. It’s opened me up to the local community and the church too.”
Since opening in September 2022, the FoodCycle Havant team have served almost 3,000 meals and saved more than a tonne of surplus food from going to waste.
Now Lesley is encouraging more people to get involved. She said: “If you've got time on your hands, it gives you so much joy, and to have that joy in your heart is really nice. It's worthwhile.”
FoodCycle CEO Sophie Tebbets said: "Congratulations to Lesley and all our FoodCycle Regional Volunteer of the Year Award winners!Our volunteers’ passion, generosity, and commitment make a real difference, helping us bring community meals to thousands of people each week. We simply couldn’t do it without them.
“We’re grateful to The Marsh Charitable Trust for partnering with us on these awards to recognise and reward our amazing volunteers. Their dedication shows the power of community to create positive change."
Anyone can come and eat at a FoodCycle community meal, and no booking is required. Guests range from low-income families, people experiencing homelessness or loneliness, those who simply cannot afford to buy food, or struggle to cook for themselves, and those who simply want to connect with their community.
Volunteer roles at FoodCycle include cooking, hosting and helping deliver food surplus to meal venues. Opportunities are are open to anyone over 18 and there is no minimum weekly commitment.
Sign up to volunteer: foodcycle.org.uk/location/foodcycle-havant.
Other FoodCycle projects in the South East – in High Wycombe, Portsmouth, Slough and Southampton: volunteer.foodcycle.org.uk/southeast.
Donate to support FoodCycle: foodcycle.org.uk/donate.