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Portland Arms pub opens its kitchen for community service

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Portland Arms chef Kate McCann hard at work preparing meals for the South Norwood Community Kitchen in the pub this week

South Norwood reporter JANE NICHOLL on the latest lockdown initiative

Community groups in South Norwood this week welcomed a much-needed additional self-help service, when the Portland Arms pub offered its kitchen and food during lockdown to prepare and distribute meals and groceries.

The publicans’ generous offer means that the South Norwood Community Kitchen can now provide 80 extra hot meals each Wednesday during lockdown, while children are home from school and their parents might be struggling to make ends meet.

The meals at the Portland Arms are ready to be distributed around the neighbourhood

This new Wednesday food run is in addition to the Community Kitchen’s other weekly deliveries.

The Portland Arms, on Portland Road, is also helping by providing a drop-off point for grocery donations while lockdown lasts.

The meals were all delivered by volunteers: a delicious vegetable soup, turkey curry and cake, made by the pub’s chef Kate McCann and manager Colin Todd. Meals were also delivered to hostels.

“It’s great to be joining forces with The Portland Arms,” said the SNCK’s Laura Whittall.

“It’s a true example of mutual aid working at it’s best, and a way of showing some proper community spirit.

“Times are getting harder for a lot of people in our community and it’s brilliant that we can offer them more support.”

If you would like to support the South Norwood Community Kitchen and the Portland Arms by donating items, they are available to take your donations every Tuesday from noon to 4pm and Wednesdays 10am to 2pm.

All donations are greatly appreciated. Ideally, SNCK are looking for:

For more information about the South Norwood Community Kitchen,  visit their website here.

And check out the Portland Arms website by clicking here.


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