A STALYBRIDGE group that provides meals and company to isolated and vulnerable people has received a funding boost.
George’s Kitchen, which is based at St George’s Church on Church Street, has proved vital in making sure members of the community are not cut off from society.
Now after a donation totalling £800, from a firm with a connection to the cause, it has extra funds to continue its good work.
Chair of George’s Kitchen, David Tilbrook, highlighted just how important the money will be, saying: “We provide meals for people around the Ridge Hill area and at Blandford House, 40-50 every week. So these funds are a huge help.
“The money sits in a pot and we use that to buy the ingredients for a team of volunteers to do the cooking, then a team of volunteers goes out and delivers.
“When we deliver, we have a chat with service users on their doorsteps to make sure they’re all right as it’s vulnerable and elderly people we usually deliver to.
“People really value it. People really enjoy the chat and some look forward to it – the meal is really just a way to get them to open their door.
“Some people might not speak to anyone else all week.”
George’s Kitchen was set up just after the Covid-19 lockdowns, when more people than ever were feeling isolated or lonely.
And since 2021 it has grown, showing the need for a service like that in the community.
David added: “We set up when people were a bit down and the vulnerable had been sat at home on their own all the time.
“It’s a way of getting someone on to their doorstep, having a chat and checking they’re all right.
“We’ve seen the difference it has made and it’s grown. We started with 15-20 deliveries and now it’s 40-50, pretty much our capacity.
“It’s been really successful and we get great feedback. We apply for grants but any donations we can get from local businesses would be great.”