Group which is feeding thousands is looking for a permanent home

A GROUP that turns food destined for landfill into food for those in need of a helping hand is looking for a permanent home.
Volunteer Serena King, left, with manager Chloe Palmer at the Trash Cafe. Picture Ian Hargreaves  (180205-1)Volunteer Serena King, left, with manager Chloe Palmer at the Trash Cafe. Picture Ian Hargreaves  (180205-1)
Volunteer Serena King, left, with manager Chloe Palmer at the Trash Cafe. Picture Ian Hargreaves (180205-1)

Trash Cafe, which operates in Gosport and Portsmouth, serves thousands of people each week.

Currently, the group sets up weekly cafe sessions in Rowner Family Centre and St Faith’s Church in Gosport, as well as at Buckland Commuity Centre in Portsmouth.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Trash Cafe has a network of retailers and suppliers that give them food – which can be paid for either with cash, volunteering time or donating clothes for charity.

Volunteer Serena King, left, with manager Chloe Palmer at the Trash Cafe. Picture Ian Hargreaves  (180205-1)Volunteer Serena King, left, with manager Chloe Palmer at the Trash Cafe. Picture Ian Hargreaves  (180205-1)
Volunteer Serena King, left, with manager Chloe Palmer at the Trash Cafe. Picture Ian Hargreaves (180205-1)

But as support for the group grows, it is in need of a permanent home to store food and set up an additional cafe for people.

Owner Chloe Palmer said: ‘When we started in 2015 we were serving just over 10 people per week – now it is over 1,000.

‘We now also recycle clothes, are setting up a school scheme in August and have a lot more people interested in giving us things to support us.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

‘Because of how much more we do now than we used to, we need to find a permanent home.’

Volunteer Serena King, left, with manager Chloe Palmer at the Trash Cafe. Picture Ian Hargreaves  (180205-1)Volunteer Serena King, left, with manager Chloe Palmer at the Trash Cafe. Picture Ian Hargreaves  (180205-1)
Volunteer Serena King, left, with manager Chloe Palmer at the Trash Cafe. Picture Ian Hargreaves (180205-1)

Chloe says she has been looking for a place to not only store food, but also hold a permanent cafe in the front.

She said: ‘There are a couple of places I have looked at already.

‘We want to centralise our food stock, but if we can get a permanent cafe going, that would be brilliant.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

‘If we get more space then we can collect more food and, in turn, help out more people in the area.

‘We have another 20 or so stores that want to come aboard and help us, but to do that we will certainly need the extra space.’

At the Trash Cafe at Buckland Community Centre yesterday, Nigel Smith, 65, from Buckland, said: ‘This service helps me out a great deal, and I think that this is something that is very needed around here.

‘It is really nice to see things not go to waste as well.’

Vicky Beckett, 48, from North End, said: ‘I come here almost every week.

‘It is just so good to see that the food isn’t being wasted, and there are a lot of people here and in this weather it is great that everyone can get a hot meal.’