We speak to the people doing great things for those on the margins at Christmas. And the best bit? There are whole armies pitching in to help them
Richard Simpson
Cummin’ Up Caribbean Takeaway, Lewisham, London
‘Every year there’s a new story’
The idea is to do for others what we would wish to be done for ourselves if we were in need. We started making free meals for people who are homeless or just need some company. People in the community heard about it, offer their help and it grew and grew. This will be our 10th year.
We offer a traditional English Christmas roast, the turkey, the Brussels sprouts, roast potatoes, parsnips. But we also put in a little Caribbean twist – we add jerk chicken, some rice and peas. We average 120 meals. We have many people that spend the whole day with us. I have had a friend of mine who plays steel drums, so we might even have a little live music this year to make it even more special.
A lot of the people we’re trying to reach aren’t on social media. We go back to basics and speak to people. That person you know who might be rough sleeping, that person you see all the time on your commute– next time you see them mention that there’s a restaurant on Lewisham High Street that’s offering a free meal and tell them they’re welcome. I met an elderly lady who has lived on the same street as me for 40 years and she didn’t know about our meal until now. She’s already said to me how much she’s looking forward to it.
It’s a whole mix of people who come to dine. We try and insist that everyone sits down around the table to eat. There were some who were homeless who wanted takeaway, it became apparent that they didn’t want to be eating inside and leaving their companions outside – their dogs. So we set tables for them outside. Every year we learn a new lesson, every year there’s a new story. A testament, as I would say.
