Celebrating community spirit at the Hackney Wick Feast
On Friday December 8th, the Wick Award crew gathered under the stunning arches of the Grade II-listed St Mary of Eton Church for an evening of warmth, live music, incredible food, and fab company - all for a brilliant cause!
Feelgood Fridays: a heartwarming tradition
Together with inclusive church St Mary of Eton, we’ve been running a community meal in the church hall for the last couple of years. Our weekly event, Feelgood Fridays, kicks off with a fun, lively, accessible chair-based exercise class. After that, up to 30 local folks of all ages and backgrounds get together to enjoy a hot lunch cooked by lovely Sharon and her band of willing volunteers. The meal is made from food that would otherwise go to waste, donated by The Felix Project.
A feast for a cause
Even though some of the food is donated, we often need to buy top-up ingredients, puddings, and salad items. There are also cleaning costs to consider, church hall hire, volunteer expenses, and so on - it all adds up!
We’re set on keeping our community meals going in 2024, and the Hackney Wick Feast is a big part of that dream. All profits from ticket sales will go towards keeping the meal going. The feast was the culmination of many months of effort, offering a night of good music, great company, and a delicious three-course meal that everyone enjoyed. The main courses were cooked by the church’s organist and Vicar, and the evening was staffed entirely by volunteers, with music by Hannah Foakes.
Delicious dishes and local heroes
The menu was a loving homage to classic flavours: fresh prawn cocktail or homemade pumpkin soup to start, followed by a tender beef bourguignon or a wholesome chestnut pie for the main course, and topped off with a sweet chocolate sorbetto.
We want to give a big shout-out here to the local heroes who chipped in with their top-notch food. The Ginger Pig’s ethically-reared meats, fresh seafood from Jonathan Norris Fishmongers, handcrafted loaves from E5 Bakehouse, and Hackney Gelato’s sweet treats—each part of our feast came from folks who know and love good food and wanted to make a difference right here where we live.
Community voices
As laughter and stories filled the gorgeous, gothic setting, it was a reminder of how food and community come together to create something truly special. Not just a meal, the event was a step towards fighting food waste and ensuring no one in the local community goes hungry.
Local resident Gordon, 90, had this to say:
“What an evening at St Mary of Eton! Great music, incredible food, and the most welcoming atmosphere. It's nights like these that make Hackney Wick feel like home. Big thanks to all involved.”
Artist and Hackney Wick resident Jasmine agreed. "That feast was the highlight of the year! Delicious food, fantastic music, and a chance to connect with neighbors… what more could you want!“
Join us in making a difference
To be part of this incredible community effort (maybe you’d like to volunteer at the weekly meals?) and to find out more about the work of St Mary of Eton and Wick Award, visit www.stmaryofeton.org.uk and www.wickaward.co.uk. To attend Feelgood Fridays and enjoy the hot lunch and great company, come to St Mary of Eton on a Friday at 12pm, and we’ll welcome you in.
For more information or to get involved, feel free to contact:
Polly Mann, Wick Award Community and Partnership Development Email: polly.mann@wickaward.co.uk, phone: 0748 232 0992
