A charity which supports vulnerable people in Nottingham by cooking and delivering meals is "struggling" amid soaring food and fuel costs. The Chayah Development Project, run by Hyacinth Francis-Watson through donations and funding, has consequently been forced to start charging for its free services at a time when they are needed most.
Ms Francis-Watson, of St Ann's, works alongside other volunteers to run workshops for young people to keep them away from gangs. The father of fourteen-year-old Danielle Beccan, who was shot and killed in 2004 on her way home from the Goose Fair, once sat on the management committee.
The charity also has a purpose-built kitchen where Caribbean meals are cooked for struggling individuals and families living as far away as Eastwood. But with inflation now predicted to rise as high as 18%, and food and fuel costs reaching record highs too, it is the charity itself which is now struggling.
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"We started [the meals] at the start of the pandemic and it started back up recently because there was a need," Ms Francis-Watson says. "We've never been funded for the meals. A lot of elderly people had been locked in their homes and we started on a £2,000 budget.
"We are struggling with our fuel bills. We deliver and now charge £1 a meal, but it is costing us more than the £1.
"We deliver between 80 to 120 meals every Wednesday and by the time I have given the volunteers fuel money, we are really struggling.
"We go into hospital to give people, who may not want to eat hospital food, meals. We have to pay to park. We used to buy mutton for £60 to be able to cook for around 80 to 90 people.
"Now I'm spending £120. Per week, per meal, it is looking at £4.50 per person with delivery."
Asked whether the charity may be forced to cease operations, she added: "It bothers me. Sponsors would be good as well as people donating.
"We have got the kids off school now so that has been a strain on families. People are worried about the costs of living."
The Chayah Development Project, based at 26 Robin Hood Chase, typically received food donations from Tesco and FareShare, a national food redistribution charity. Some of these donations have however stopped.
Ms Francis-Watson says Tesco ceased donations in May, while FareShare donates once per month, having stopped its weekly donations. Funding for their work is only offered on a "short-term" basis from organisations such as the National Lottery.
Project director Brenda Oriedi added: "Most charitable organisations post-pandemic have been trying to figure out what they need to be doing with the demand increasing because more and more people are demanding the services.
"We are doing our best to continue. It is difficult because it is finding the right funder in time and being hopeful you will win the bid.
"We provide hot meals and food packs for the community. With the cost of living we have had to start charging £1 for meals."
A spokeswoman for FareShare Midlands says last year it had surplus food available and at that time, the organisation was reaching out to community food members on a weekly basis, to see if they would like to collect this in addition to their monthly supply for free.
However the volatility in the availability of surplus food in the last few months, due to the war in Ukraine and fuel costs, has led to this being stopped. The organisation added: "This is happening at a time when increases in the cost of living are having a disproportionate impact on those already struggling to make ends meet, and demand for FareShare food has never been higher.
"We are incredibly grateful to charities like Chayah, who are working with us during this particularly difficult period, to support their communities and help us to get as much surplus food to the people who need it most. Members can always contact our depot to see what extra food there might be available as free surplus donations, so Hyacinth can do this if she would like and there will normally be some fresh produce available towards the end of each week."
Tesco was contacted for comment.
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