RCK needs support more than ever. As cost of food is rising and the numbers of refugees accessing our services in Northern France has doubled in a month.
We urgently need donations and volunteers.
Please use the link below to donate…
With love from the RCK team
HNY 2023 from RCK
Please share our winter fundraising campaign https://bit.ly/3WDrvk6
Everyday amazing volunteers work if difficult conditions to serve healthy, nutritious warm food to people living in desperate and inhumane conditions in Northern France and to huge numbers of people facing food poverty and homelessness in 6 locations on the streets of London.
Your donations and support help us keep the kitchens going as well as helping us support other organisations giving essential services in Northern France and local community groups, schools, warm rooms and food banks in London.
We are committed to giving people good food that we would share at our own tables at home always made with love and served with dignity.
Thank you from everyone at RCK
Each day we go out on several food distributions in Calais and Dunkirk. This requires extensive preparation and coordination across the whole kitchen team.
The distribution leads for the day inform the mains and carbs chef how many meals they are expecting to distribute in each site (the numbers are based on previous distributions and other factors such as weather and if other organisations will be in the area the time).
The prep lead is responsible for ensuring that the correct quantity of vegetables is prepped for mains. This means the kitchen works non-stop to get the food out on time while trying to produce as many additional sides/extras for the condiments table as possible.
During the morning the distribution leads will brief the distribution teams. These briefings focus on 3 points, the practicalities of how RCK runs a distribution, volunteer security and safety and finally field etiquette (how RCK behaves while on distribution).
The final job before leaving for distribution is to pack the vans. We pack the vans with; a hygiene create, tables, bins, spices, water/tea/coffee, plates, cups, spoons etc.
The team then drives to distribution sites and distributes the fresh food produced in the kitchen that day. Once finished the team head back to the kitchen, clean down the vans, tables, cool down any remaining food (to ensure it is a safe temperate before going into the fridge). For the distribution teams the day finishes with a debriefing which looks at practical/logistical areas to improve, any emotional responses/thoughts from the distribution that people may want to share and finally signposting to some resources that RCK has to help with volunteer welfare.
We often get lots of emails and messages with questions about coming out to volunteer in Calais. We have created several small videos answering the most frequently asked questions!
Absolutely not, just a willingness to learn how to chop/prepare vegetables.
In short lots of fun, work begins at 9 and we have daily briefing followed by lots of food prep, communal lunch at 12:30 and then prep in the afternoon, the final task is to clean down the kitchen. People are able to work at their own pace and according to their own needs.
When you sign up to volunteer with us we send you a welcome pack email which has several accommodation options from hostels, airbnbs, camping sites and locals who host volunteers. If you have self-funded your accommodation for a month you may also be eligible to move into RCK accommodation.
No, we are very open to people coming for a couple of days/a week, all help in the kitchen is extremely valued. If you would like to be trained on prep leading, carbs (cooking the big pots of rice) or mains (cooking the big pots of curry) we require a 3/4 week commitment.
Yes if you are willing and able to do so its always hugely appreciated (but also not a requirement at all!!). We have a list of suggested donations on our welcome pack we send out. If you are unsure if something is suitable you can always drop us an email.
Yes!!!! We have a great community of volunteers and strive to make sure everyone always feels welcome and comfortable in the group.
So, if you are thinking of coming out to volunteer, or have any further questions please don’t hesitate to message us on Instagram or via the button below…
The true unsung heroes of the kitchen. The dishpiters.
Some people love it, others hate it, either way all the pots, pans and gastros need to be washed and dried every day.
The dishpit is the first station to open and the last to close each day.
Some don the blue apron, white wellies and then disappear into the depths of the dishpit for the next few hours in their own world of scrubbing and scraping gastros containing the remnants of anything from roasted aubergine to falafel.
We are still low on volunteer numbers out in Calais which means that we are only able to serve food 5 days a week. If you would like to come out and scrub some pots or chop some vegetables please email via button below for more information!
Alongside the curry, carb and salad that RCK serves in Calais we always go out on distribution with a “condiments tables” laden with sides.
They include the staples; spices such as zatar, sumac, pepper etc, sliced onions and chilli oil.
The condiments table also allows the kitchen to provide more variety within the limited range of food available to cook with. Such as spiced potatoes, a variety of dips, or bean salads etc.
One of todays sides was carrot cake. 400 portions of cake were baked and will
be going out on our next distribution
The condiments table is an important part of RCK’s service as it gives people agency over their food allowing them to customise it to their own individual preferences. We believe this offers a more dignified service to the vast array of communities we serve.
Our volunteers number continue to be lower then expected out in Calais and we would hugely appreciate any additional support, even if just for a few days of chopping vegetables! If you are interested in coming out or have any wider questions please email us….hit the button below!
A week after having to suspend services in Dunkirk, we are back serving hundreds of meals to people caught in very dangerous living conditions
We are delivering bentos to the community packed with nutritious, warm food, made with fresh, healthy, ingredients and tonnes of love.
In other good news our volunteer numbers have slowly crept up and we have managed to be open 6 days this week instead of 5.
Long may it last
Do come & volunteer….
For over a month now in Calais we have been only able to serve food Monday - Friday as our volunteer numbers on the ground are desperately low.
Gratefully the food we are serving is supporting over 1000 people in the area with highly nutritious warm meals.
If you can help, email us for information on all things volunteering…
