'No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.'

On Saturday morning Sam and Kevin, two B.O.B managers who are on secondment to the Coach House, arrive to help Kay (the permanent manager) begin the weekend foodbank service, firstly by putting the kettle on for tea (some things should not change) and  then to get ready for the first food delivery. The local volunteers Julie, Danny, Graham and Howard arrive shortly afterwards.

Everybody working here arrives under their own steam either cycling, walking, or running.

As the team sort out the food, service users arrive and begin to queue down the street. One of the volunteers appeals to their better nature, asking them to maintain a safe distance and be patient. So far, we have had no incidents and have been supported by the local community.

Mainly cheerful and necessarily shouty conversations between staff and service users take place across the divide, and as in the general population, some service users are faring better than others. We do our best to sign post people to the B.O.B on-line activities and appropriate outside agencies. Staff offer what support they can in these strange times.

When the food is organised, the team place bag after bag of supplies on the courtyard tiles for it then to be picked up by next person in the queue.

This service will continue as long as is necessary, all the while hoping that one day soon we can once again open our doors and welcome the good folk of Shepherds Bush to the social club we have run here every weekend for more than a decade.

Kevin McAleer

Service Manager

Coach House, Build On Belief