Food Glorious Food!

I am a self-confessed ‘foodie’ – I love to eat out, cook, and try out new recipes. In fact, my office at home is packed full with over 200 recipe books, and much to the bemusement of my family I watch all the cookery programmes on television!

I came across this great quote the other day by an American Restaurateur and food writer called Guy Fieri;

"Cooking is all about people. Food is maybe the only universal thing that really has the power to bring everyone together. No matter what culture, everywhere around the world, people eat together"

I completely agree with this, cooking is all about people. Those who grow food, sell food, cook the meals and of course all of us who eat it. Meal times bring families together, we use it as an opportunity to meet up with friends to chat over a meal, and it creates community.

Looking back over the past 4 months in lockdown food has been a big focus for me and it’s kept me going during this difficult time.

As the Corporate Partnerships Manager at Sobell House I see what food means to a hospice. Sobell House is a place of great kindness and hospitality is central to so much of what goes on here. Providing good food is all part of making people feel relaxed, welcome, and comforted. In fact, the word ‘hospice’ derives from the word ‘hospitality’ and everyone who comes to the hospice receives this. Hospitality, kindness, care and of course good food all go hand-in-hand and make Sobell House the place it is today.

Food & Kindness: The Sobell House Cookbook

As a charity we receive incredible support from the local hospitality sector in both monetary terms but also through gifts in kind. The hospitality sector over the past four months has been hit very hard and some businesses are still not able to resume trade as usual. For many it will take many months and even years to recover. To show our support, my colleague Lorraine came up with the idea of producing a cookbook – one that would be pride of place in every kitchen…

Over the past 3 months I have been working with Meze Publishing based in Sheffield and together we are passionate about producing a recipe book which celebrates great local food and the wonderful people who produce it. As well as local businesses we also have recipe contributions from our new Charity Ambassador, Paul Chahidi, and through his support Mary Berry, Mel Giedroyc, Sue Perkins and Stephen Fry. The book has been generously sponsored by Smeg, Oxford Economics and I P Asset Partnership meaning all sales of the book will support the care at the hospice. It’s going to be called Food & Kindness: The Sobell House Cookbook and will be published in November, making it the perfect Christmas present!

Headington Market

A few months ago, I was contacted by Cari Morningstar from Headington Market. The Market has over 15 local food stalls trading every Saturday, but all trading sadly had to stop when the UK went into lockdown. Cari got in touch because even though it was a tough time for the Market they wanted to support the hospice in some way. It’s always wonderful to see that even when people are going through difficult times they want to do good things for others. Specifically, Headington Market wanted to support the staff at the hospice; the medical team on the frontline, cleaners, admin staff, drivers and even us fundraisers! Every Tuesday afternoon I have met a different stallholder from the Market who has dropped off delicious food for the staff. We have sampled samosas, pies, Sicilian produce, curries, burritos, doughnuts, cheeses and so much more! Their generosity and kindness has made such a big difference and everyone has looked forward to the weekly delivery.

Supporting the marginalized and homeless

As lockdown started my wife Juliet and I were wondering how we would cope over the coming uncertain months, and how our teenage kids would deal with going out for just an hour a day! I read that a charity called Act! connected to St Aldates Church in Oxford were looking for volunteers to cook meals for the marginalized and homeless in the city centre. So, over the past four months my eldest daughter Becca (who is 18, and doesn’t do much cooking apart from ordering a Domino’s!) and I have been cooking meals twice a week. Big pans, big industrial kitchen and two hours every Wednesday and Sunday afternoon. We have cooked just over 1,500 meals and have loved it! It’s made us feel useful, we’ve become closer, and it’s opened Becca’s eyes to the reality of life for some people.

What have I learnt?

Lots - and at 53 that learning continues every day. The last few months have opened my eyes to lots of acts of kindness, some big, some small, and so many involving food! It has also taught me that food and kindness go together and that’s so true in a place like a hospice.

A few final notes…

For the past 44 years Sobell House has provided incredible care thanks to the unwavering support from our local community. If you can do anything to support us now that would be fantastic. And if you can’t at this time I fully understand.

I send my best wishes to the many people and businesses who do so much for Sobell House. Many people through my work have become such good friends. Looking forward to continuing to partner with you in the many ways that we have over the past three years.

If you would like to have a chat about our recipe book, sponsorship opportunities, or other ways to get involved, please phone me on 07527849748 or email [email protected] – I would love to hear from you.