New OsNosh community kitchen to open in Oswestry

OsNosh, in Oswestry, will dish up meals made by donations from local supermarkets, shops, gardeners and allotment holders.

It will open every Thursday lunchtime at the Holy Trinity Church for anyone in need of a helping hand, whether through financial pressures or social isolation.

The kitchen is the brainchild of brothers Tom and Ben Wilson.

Ben said: "The aim is to cook free community meals for everyone who is hungry, struggling or just in need of some company, using food that would otherwise be wasted.”

“Working in partnership with Chalk CIC, our food recycling project aims to create an inclusive, warm and friendly environment where all are welcome.”

Tom, 24, was inspired to start the project in his home town after working with FoodCycle in Sheffield after leaving university.

The community organisation makes meals for those that are at risk of food poverty and/or social isolation using surplus food from local shops and larger food stores.

Brother Ben will be head chef, while Tom will organise the fundraising and working with the charities.

“None of this would’ve been possible without my brother, Ben, who is head chef at OsNosh and in charge of web designing and written online advertisements - we work as a team,” Tom added.

OsNosh will receive a lot of its food donations from the main local supermarkets - including Sainsbury’s, M&S, Waitrose, Aldi and Lidl - donations from local growers, the Honeysuckle store, the Oswestry and Borders Foodbank and Babbinswood Farm.

A launch event was held recently at Treflach Farm with band Cafe Lola performing people arrived and a three course meal served to local supporters.

Tom said local and online support and donations were key to making OsNosh and the organisation itself work.

Over the last month OsNosh has doubled its target donations goal and is eager for more support and volunteers to help out at the kitchen.

“We would like to say a special thanks to Holy Trinity Church and all its members for being so welcoming and kind and for allowing us to use their space to hold the weekly lunches.”

Ben added: “We hope that in time as our name and goal behind OsNosh becomes better known that will one day be able to relocate to a space purely dedicated to our organisation.

"Somewhere which we could then turn it into a business enterprise with a private catering service and an events management team.

"We want it to be a place where we can actually train and employ people and therefore give back to the community by providing people with an actual income and good food on a larger scale.

"However the kitchen will always remain a place where anyone and everyone can feel free to come in, share their skills and be part of a new and exciting community enterprise.”

By Francesca Baynes