Community cafe's work praised by MP after visit
A community kitchen had an extra member of staff for the afternoon when an MP joined the team and waited on tables.
Lib Dem MP for North Shropshire, Helen Morgan, swapped the Commons for the kitchen and donned an apron to help volunteers at OsNosh Community Café in Oswestry.
The Community Interest Company aims to grow community through food.
It combats food waste and food poverty by using surplus supplies from shops and local growers to cook nutritious restaurant-quality meals for anyone in the community who can pay what they feel.
OsNosh was started by brothers Ben and Tom Wilson four years ago and played a crucial role keeping vulnerable people fed during the pandemic via its food delivery service alongside other community partners.
It has now grown to include food share tables, community cafes, activities to combat isolation, a community garden, and cookery school passing on food skills and education to local children.
Mrs Morgan served food at a packed Community Café – held every Friday between 10.30am and 1pm at OsNosh’s base at The Centre in Oak Street – before meeting staff and volunteers and being shown around the new community garden.
She said the endeavour was a credit to the team behind it.
She said: “OsNosh is community spirit at its finest and it was a real pleasure to join the team and see the community kitchen in action.
“Not only do the staff and volunteers reduce the amount of food waste but the meals they create really are delicious.
“Ben and his crew should be really proud of what they’ve achieved helping to keep the community fed and healthy and it’s great to see them expanding with workshops and the community garden.
“Without the amazing team of volunteers none of this would be possible. Everyone involved deserves a big round of applause.
“If you’re in Oswestry and haven’t been down yet, why not?”
Ben Wilson, OsNosh founder and director, said: “It was great to have Helen join us and she jumped straight in with the team. We are so proud of the community that’s been created and it was brilliant for Helen to see the impact of everything we do has on both individuals and the wider community, especially as the cost of living crisis is starting to affect more and more people.
“Our mantra is ‘There’s room at the table for everyone’ and Helen’s presence showed just how our community café brings everyone together from all walks of life.”
