Royal Navy sailors cook up an African feast for homeless people in Portsmouth

TALENTED chefs from the Royal Navy cooked up a storm for dozens of homeless people, giving the needy residents a delicious taste of African cuisine.
Tom Cotterill
By Tom Cotterill
Published 31st Dec 2019, 16:30 BST
Updated 31st Dec 2019, 16:56 BST
The Royal Navy volunteers cooked food for dozens of homeless people at the Southsea-based support centre, The LifeHouse.The Royal Navy volunteers cooked food for dozens of homeless people at the Southsea-based support centre, The LifeHouse.
The Royal Navy volunteers cooked food for dozens of homeless people at the Southsea-based support centre, The LifeHouse.

Sailors from Portsmouth Naval Base’s Royal Navy waterfront logistics support group rallied to cook a two-course meal for people at the LifeHouse support centre in Southsea.

The group of kind-hearted seamen were hoping to repeat the success of their previous ‘Royal Navy Cook Up’, held at the facility in March.

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Leading the helm was Chief Petty Officer Duncan Knibbs, who has been pushing his team to fundraise for the feast all year.

Royal Navy personnel and volunteers serve up dinner to the homeless.Royal Navy personnel and volunteers serve up dinner to the homeless.
Royal Navy personnel and volunteers serve up dinner to the homeless.

He said: ‘Throughout this year since our last “LifeHouse Royal Navy Cook Up” we had been trying to raise funds to provide another feeding event.

‘We came up with a plan to conduct some charity breakfast bap mornings for the guys at the waterfront logistics support group.

‘We privately sourced the ingredients, cooked and provided somewhere in the region of 100 baps over three separate mornings raising around £230.’

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This time the delicious two-course menu was Moroccan lamb or Quorn with Moroccan spiced chickpeas and jacket potatoes or a coriander pitta bread followed by a selection of tempting desserts.

Pictured: Royal Navy personnel and volunteers serve up dinner to the homeless. Photo: LPhot Belinda AlkerPictured: Royal Navy personnel and volunteers serve up dinner to the homeless. Photo: LPhot Belinda Alker
Pictured: Royal Navy personnel and volunteers serve up dinner to the homeless. Photo: LPhot Belinda Alker

The grub fed about 30 people and provided about 65 portions with some choosing to have seconds or takeaways.

The group of sailors even left enough food to cover another evening in the future.

LifeHouse manager Mike Morell said the meal was a ‘delicious rare treat’.

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He added: ‘We really appreciate their hard work on our behalf and their kindness and friendliness to our guests, they were also a considerable help and encouragement to our volunteers.

‘It was a great evening and we would welcome them back anytime.’

CPO Knibb’s assistant, Petty Officer (chef) Victor ‘Zippy’ Wightman said taking part in the charitable cook out was a fantastic experience.

He added: ‘It felt good supporting the local community, not only providing a substantial meal to those in difficulty but being an ear to them.

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‘Even though they have had or continue to face some struggling times, they were upbeat and chatty and grateful that they were not invisible to us.

‘The LifeHouse does an amazing job, and I look forward to further interaction with Mike and his team.’

The team from the naval base are now planning for their next cook up, which has been earmarked for spring 2020.

Related topics:Royal NavyPortsmouthSailorsSouthsea

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