Comedians Sean Lock, Bill Bailey, Lee Mack and Bond actor Naomie Harris have teamed up to help to launch nextmeal.co.uk - a new website designed to help homeless people find out where their nearest hot meal is in one click.
Nextmeal.co.uk has been set up by Martin Stone, who who has run/worked at the Muswell Hill Soup Kitchen. It is is designed to provide detailed information about which centres are open and where food and support can be found nearby.
Sean Lock said: "Martin is my neighbour and after I helped him at the Soup Kitchen he looked at the standard of my washing up shook his head gently and said 'Sean there is another way you can help us?'. So I’ve organised the launch of Nextmeal.co.uk."
Martin Stone said: “Nextmeal.co.uk can be used by anyone to help people who need a meal and support. At the same time, it informs Londoners what centres are open and how they can help homeless people without giving them money. Ultimately, our aim is to help to reduce street homelessness. It empowers people, who see homeless people begging and are concerned about their plight, to respond with out giving the person begging any money.
What is interesting is that a few friends put this together for no money at all and it does not ask for money. It is the response from every day people living in London who want to help homeless people in an informed and caring manner."
As well as helping homeless people to find their next meal the website also helps Londoners to have a constructive response to people begging on our streets. Millions of Londoners every day feel confused about what they should do when they walk past someone begging. Nextmeal.co.uk means they don’t need to keep doing that. They can print off some cards from the website and hand them one. Either instead of money or with some cash as well. It’s up to you, but at least you’ve done something.
Nextmeal.co.uk can also be used to help to engage potential volunteers at their local soup kitchen or centre. A lot of Londoners don’t know about their nearest soup kitchen where they can help out or donate food. The website highlights just how much is being done by ordinary people to help some of the most vulnerable people in our society.
More here.
