MANCHESTER homeless charity Mustard Tree runs shops, soup runs and The Freedom Project, providing clients with training courses, job clubs, counselling, and volunteering opportunities.
The café at Mustard Tree is operated by Freedom Project participants, who prepare lunch for up to 80 folk a day, most of the food being donated.
For one week only (Sept 14-18), as part of Manchester Food and Drink Festival, four top chefs will take over the kitchens each lunchtime, using whatever is delivered on the day to cook a bespoke gourmet feast for 80 Freedom Project participants, volunteers, guests and staff.
The chefs involved are: David Gale (The Lawn Club, MFDF 2015 Chef of the Year nominee); Robert Owen Brown (ex-Mark Addy, traditional British cooking consultant); Sandra Banks (exec chef at Tampopo, Manchester’s original pan-Asian restaurant); and Colin Scott (chef of Turtle Bay, which has two Caribbean restaurants in the city).
Our picture shows left to right: David Gale, Quamar Sohail (Turtle Bay Manchester chef), Sandra Banks and Robert Owen Brown.
Mustard Tree will also be working with the MFDF to run the ‘Empty Pantry’ at the Albert Square hub over the weekend of Sept 18-20, encouraging folk to bring non-perishable food to stock a charity store.
Mustard Tree will also be working with Manchester Food and Drink Festival to run the ‘Empty Pantry’ at the Festival Hub on Albert Square.
Like the Empty Shop before it, The Empty Pantry will encourage people to bring food to the store instead of buying it from the store. Businesses and residents alike are encouraged to bring non-perishable food and drink to The Empty Pantry on Albert Square over the weekend of the 18-20th.
Over that time, it’s hoped the pop up pantry will fill to the brim – the goal is 2 tonnes of food – which Mustard Tree will then empty and take back to their Hub in Ancoats.
The collections will boost stocks at Mustard Tree, sadly more in need than ever as autumn sets in with a new tranche of austerity measures.
Phil Jones, MFDF director comments: “I’m delighted to announce this partnership with Mustard Tree. What they do is incredibly important to this city, and the most vulnerable people in it. MFDF has always been a campaigning organisation and we urge residents and businesses to take a look at the Mustard Tree website. We are also suggesting that MFDF fans sign up to this Sustainable Food Cities Network food poverty declaration.”
MFDF/Mustard Tree Mini-Festival, 110 Oldham Rd, Ancoats, Manchester M4 6AG. Mon Sept 14-Fri Sep 18. For times and to book tickets visit www.foodandrinkfestival.com.