Stokes Croft Food Project
Pay What You Can Community Cafe!
The SCFP Community Cafe has now closed – read the statement here »
Thanks to the generosity of the people who supported our crowdfunding campaign, as well as the help we received from the Bristol Food Union, Stokes Croft Food Project was delighted to announce the opening of our Pay What You Can Community Cafe on Monday 27th July, 2020 at Jamaica Street Stores, 37-39 Jamaica Street, BS2 8JP.
We were able to distribute free food to the hungry on Sundays, as well as offering lunch to the whole community from 12-2pm, Monday to Friday. £2.50 covered the cost of your own meal, or you could pay more to donate towards the free meals regularly given to those in need.
We chose the Pay What You Can model to allow us to continue providing mouth watering and nutritious meals to the economically vulnerable, while expanding our offer in an inclusive and sustainable way. This project builds on the mutual aid principle that has allowed so many people in Bristol to make it through the pandemic. We don’t need top down charity to “help the needy” – we need strong, well fed and resilient communities that support one another.
Covid precautions meant this was a take away service (with weather-dependent outdoor seating), but our long term vision is to develop this cafe into a shared eating space where everyone can sit and eat together. A space to provide the kind of affordable community hub that Stokes Croft really needs.
We also made an area of the cafe available as a food bank where people could donate or request groceries.
Stokes Croft Food Project was a collaboration between local businesses, charities and campaigners, set up to tackle hunger and food poverty in Stokes Croft by providing nutritious food to those most in need in our community during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Why now?
There are a number of food supply crises that have hit our local community hard
- Homeless food distribution has moving off the streets into hostels / hotels. It is estimated there are about 150 people remaining on the street, struggling to access any food.
- Some vulnerable people who are self-isolating lack the wider social support to get regular groceries.
- Households who have lost income due to Covid-19 crisis are struggling to receive financial aid quickly enough, and kids who receive free school meals now require food at home.
Our Project
A collective effort by local businesses and volunteers to produce and distribute cooked food packages in the community twice a week.
Some of the food is distributed fresh and hot to rough sleepers in the area, the rest is frozen and distributed to vulnerable households that have registered for support. While we will prioritise need in our local neighbourhood, we are joining a city wide effort to tackle hunger and we will make sure no food is wasted.
Who’s involved?
The chefs at Jamaica Street Stores were cooking 150 vegetarian meals every Tuesday afternoon for this project, and 80 meals every Sunday. See our menu section (to the right) for a record of what we’ve done so far.
PRSC worked with Bristol Housing Action Movement, B.O.S.H, the National Food Service, and Caring In Bristol to distribute those meals to those most in need.
Through their local cafe & bakery Elemental, the Love Bristol church supplied the Stokes Croft Food Project with a fresh box of veg every week.
From 20 May 2020 Stokes Croft Food Project started to supply meals to the Bristol Food Union.
Real hunger is visibly growing on the streets at the moment and a small effort made collectively could make a huge difference to those most in need in our community.
SCFP Menu
Over 35,000 meals distributed!
Tue 07/04/20: 100 portions of Moroccan Butternut Squash Tagine with Rice // 41 dishes direct to rough sleepers & hungry people in Stokes Croft // 47 distributed by B.O.S.H. // 12 to the National Food Service
Sun 12/04/20: 60 portions of Leek, Potato & Wild Garlic soup // 51 direct to local rough sleepers & hungry people // 9 to the NFS
Tue 14/04/20: 110 portions of Roasted Vegetable Ratatouille with Couscous // 40 direct to local rough sleepers & hungry people // 40 distributed by B.O.S.H. // 30 to the NFS
Sun 19/04/20: 100 portions of Vegetarian Minestrone Soup with Hot Fresh Bread Rolls // 60 direct to local rough sleepers & hungry people // 40 to NFS
Tues 21/04/20 120 portions of Vegetarian Lasagne with Wild Garlic Bread // 30 direct to local rough sleepers & hungry people // 60 distributed by B.O.S.H. // 30 to the NFS
Sun 26/04/20 100 portions of Sweetcorn, Noodle and Vegetable Soup with Crunchy Chips // 69 direct to local rough sleepers & hungry people // 31 to NFS
Tues 28/04/20 90 portions of Cheese, Potato & Onion Pie // 30 direct to (cold & damp) local rough sleepers & hungry people // 60 distributed by B.O.S.H.
Sun 03/05/20 100 portions of Tuscan Three Bean Soup with Wild Garlic Croutons // 80 direct to rough sleepers & the hungry // 20 to the NFS
Tue 05/05/20 150 portions of Vegetable Biriani with Bombay Potato, followed by Banana and Chocolate Cake // 35 portions distributed direct to local rough sleepers & the hungry // 75 distributed by B.O.S.H. // 40 to the NFS
Sun 10/05/20 105 portions of Tomato and Wild Garlic Soup with Fresh Bread Rolls // 80 portions direct to local rough sleepers & the hungry // 25 to the NFS
Tue 12/05/20: 140 portions of Vegetable Cottage Pie // 50 direct to local rough sleepers & the hungry // 60 distributed by B.O.S.H. // 30 to the NFS
Sun 17/05/20 108 portions of Leek & Potato Soup // 80 portions distributed direct to local rough sleepers & the hungry // 28 to NFS
Tue 19/05/20: 144 portions of Mushroom Stroganof with Rice // 50 direct to local rough sleepers & the hungry // 60 distributed by B.O.S.H. // 34 to NFS
Weds 20/05/20: 88 portions of Chicken Orvieto to Bristol Food Union
Sun 24/05/20 105 portions of Tomato and Wild Garlic Soup with Bread and Marge on the side and Waffle Banana Sandwiches // 60 portions direct to rough sleepers & the hungry // 35 portions to Bristol Housing Action Network // 10 to NFS // 20 waffle sandwiches left over, distributed at Street Survival Session Tue 26th
Tue 26/05/20: 143 portions of Roasted Courgette and Tomato Macaroni // 50 direct to local rough sleepers & the hungry // 60 distributed by B.O.S.H. // 33 to the NFS
Weds 27/05/20: 100 portions of Pork Belly and Sausage Casserole to Bristol Food Union
Thu 28/05/20: 134 portions of Pork Belly and Sausage Casserole to Bristol Food Union
Sun 31/05/20: 85 large portions of Potato, Leek and Wild Garlic Soup // 65 portions distributed direct to local rough sleepers & the hungry // 20 portions to local St Mungos Hostel
Tue 02/06/20: 150 portions of Classic Aubergine Ratatouille with Cous Cous // 50 direct to local rough sleepers & the hungry // 60 distributed by B.O.S.H. // 40 to the NFS
Sun 07/06/20: 80 portions of Tomato, Paprika, Marrowfat Pea and Bean Soup // 55 portions distributed direct to local rough sleepers // 15 portions donated to local St Mungos Hostel // 10 portions to Bristol Housing Action Movement
Tue 09/06/20: 150 portions of Vegetarian Lasagne // 50 direct to local rough sleepers // 60 distributed by B.O.S.H. // 40 to the NFS
Fri 12/06/20: 77 portions of Thai Chicken Curry with Rice // to Bristol Food Union
Sun 14/06/20: 100 portions of Sweet Potato, Corriander and Coconut Soup // 65 portions direct to rough sleepers & the hungry // 20 portions to local St Mungos Hostel // 15 portions to Bristol Housing Action Movement
Tue 16/06/20: 150 portions of Cheese, Onion and Potato Gratin // 65 direct to local rough sleepers & the hungry // 45 distributed by B.O.S.H. // 40 to NFS
Sun 21/06/20: 80 portions of Sweet Potato, Coconut and Chili Soup // 65 portions direct to rough sleepers & the hungry // 15 portions to Bristol Housing Action Movement
Tue 23/06/20: 150 portions of Vegetable Ratatouille with Purple Sprouting Broccoli // 30 direct to local rough sleepers & the hungry // 80 distributed by B.O.S.H. // 40 to the NFS
Sun 28/06/20: 80 portions of Spiced Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup // 70 portions direct to local rough sleepers & the hungry // 10 portions to Bristol Housing Action Movement
Tue 30/06/20: 150 portions of Cheese, Onion and Potato Gratin // 40 direct to local rough sleepers & the hungry // 70 distributed by B.O.S.H. // 40 to NFS
Sun 05/07/20: 80 portions of Tomato, Basil and Chili Soup // 65 portions direct to rough sleepers & the hungry // 15 portions to Bristol Housing Action Movement
Tue 07/07/20: 134 portions of Tomato and Butternut Squash Pasta Bake // 34 direct to local rough sleepers & the hungry // 60 distributed by B.O.S.H. // 40 to the NFS
Sun 12/07/20 80 portions of Sweet Potato and Chili Soup // 70 portions direct to rough sleepers & the hungry // 10 portions to Bristol Housing Action Movement
Tue 14/07/20: 130 portions of Curry (130 Turkey curry, 20 Vegetable) // 55 direct to local rough sleepers // 55 distributed by B.O.S.H. // 40 to the NFS
Sun 19/07/20 80 portions of French Onion Soup // 70 portions direct to rough sleepers & the hungry // 10 portions to Bristol Housing Action Movement