Chefs urged to take part in Crisis Christmas

National homelessness charity Crisis is seeking for trained chefs and catering staff with basic food hygiene certificates to volunteer this Christmas.

Over 300 chefs and kitchen assistants are being urged to volunteer their services to help homeless people in London as part of the Crisis event, which will be running from 23-30 December.

Nine centres will be set up in the capital by Crisis. Theses centres will provide hot meals for the homeless and vulnerable housed people as well as essential services like health checks, housing advice, training and further education opportunities.

Every kitchen volunteer needs a foundation level 2 food hygiene certificate. Crisis will also be running a number of one-day courses free of charge on some weekends during the period.

Shifts are available from 23-30 December from 7am to 3pm and 2pm to 9pm in the day centres and from 7.45am to 4pm, 3.15pm to 11pm and 10.15pm to 8.30am in the residential centres. Volunteers are encouraged to sign-up for at least two shifts.

Norman Johns, who first volunteered in the kitchens at Crisis Christmas over 10 years ago, explained what it means to him to take part: "Over the years I learnt how to build and manage a kitchen team and I was chuffed to be chosen as chef at one of the centres. For me it's all about meeting old friends, guests and volunteers and being able to produce great meals for everyone."

 
To find out more visit www.crisis.org.uk/volunteering

Words: Maria Bracken

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