City club the Ned teams up with Centrepoint to feed homeless young people
One of the City’s best-known members’ clubs has teamed up with youth homelessness charity Centrepoint to provide meals homeless young people during the coronavirus crisis.
Along with the Bike Shed Motorcycle Club, the 42 members of staff at the Ned have been making over a hundred meals a day for those living in homeless shelters.
The meals are being prepared on the Ned’s premises in the City, and delivered by riders from the Bike Shed’s 1000-strong membership.
In addition, chefs at the Ned have been making 150 meals for homeless charity the Passage, which supports those living on the streets of central London.
Many of the ingredients for the scheme have been donated by Fare Share, the UK’s largest food waste charity.
Isabel Rice, a senior dietician at Centrepoint, said hostels had been “really grateful” to receive the meals.
“There has been a lot of concern from young people during the pandemic about not getting enough food.
“I’ve seen an increase in the number of young people in need of emergency food aid, as well as a general increase in people struggling.
“These meals have been a huge help, because it means the hostel can offer a healthy, home cooked meal to residents every day”.
The Ned’s managing director Gareth Banner said: “With The Ned and Ned’s Club being closed for the time being, we’ve been working on ways to support our community and those most vulnerable in our local areas”.
Yesterday housing secretary Robert Jenrick announced that as a result of the pandemic, 90 per cent of the nation’s homeless people had been taken off the streets and into accommodation.
He also announced that the government would spend £160m on building accommodation for these people, with 6,000 homes to be built in total.