RCK volunteers

Honouring World Refugee Day: RCK Stands in Solidarity

On this World Refugee Day, RCK stands united with refugees around the globe. For the past eight years, our organisation has been dedicated to providing nourishing meals and support to displaced communities in both Northern France and London. We acknowledge the strength and resilience of those forced to leave their homes, and we are committed to supporting them in their journey.

Through the tireless efforts of our volunteers, we have managed to serve thousands of meals, touching the lives of countless individuals. We understand that food is more than sustenance; it is a symbol of care, dignity, and hope. By providing hot meals, we strive to restore a sense of normalcy and offer a moment of respite amidst the challenges faced by refugees.

Join us on this World Refugee Day as we honour the strength, resilience, and humanity of refugees. Together, we can create a world where every individual is valued, protected, and given the opportunity to thrive.

Celebrate Pride Month with RCK!

At RCK, we believe in celebrating diversity, inclusivity, and love in all its vibrant forms.

Our kitchen is not just a place where hot meals are prepared; it is a haven of love, understanding, and support. We believe in the power of food to nourish both the body and the spirit, and we extend that love to all who seek our services. As we come together to celebrate Pride Month, let us remember that solidarity knows no bounds.

Just as the LGBTQ+ community embraces diversity and unity, we aim to reflect these values in every meal we serve, infusing our meals with a kaleidoscope of vibrant coloured vegetables. From the radiant reds of tomatoes to the brilliant yellows of bell peppers, and the rich purples of eggplants, our kitchen is bursting with a spectrum of flavours and hues.

At RCK, We want everyone to feel safe, valued, and embraced, regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation. And with the help of our wonderful volunteers and supporters, we can create a world where everyone is celebrated and accepted for who they are.

Join us in spreading the message of love and acceptance, where we can make a difference, one meal at a time. Happy Pride Month!

Volunteer for RCK this Summer!

RCK are currently operating at four different locations across Calais and Dunkirk and are proud to have a dedicated team of volunteers who serve five days a week.

We're always seeking more volunteers to join our incredible team.

With greater support, we can expand our services and reach even more refugees by extending our operations to six or even seven days a week. Our goal is to serve as many living sites as possible, ensuring that we not only offer meals but also provide essential amenities like tea and filtered water. As the summer approaches and temperatures rise, these provisions become even more essential.

Please consider joining our amazing team and volunteering with us this summer!

Come and peel some garlic with us!

Over the last couple of weeks our volunteer team in Calais has been growing smaller, however the need for hot food in Calais has not.

We have called out to the RCK community for additional support over the last couple of weeks and the response has been great with lots of emails asking about how volunteering works and people committing to come over.

Consequently, for the first time in a while we are able to operate for 6 days this week. This means an additional hot meal for those who want it in Calais and with temperatures falling and heavy rainfall access to hot food becomes more important.

However, volunteers are set to drop significantly beyond next week unfortunately making the 6 day week unsustainable unless we have more volunteers!

The kitchen could not operate without the tireless of work of volunteers both in person and from afar and so this post is simply about saying thank to you all for your continued support. It is hugely appreciated.

If you are interested in learning more about volunteering and coming to Calais then please email volunteering@refugeecommunitykitchen.org or if you would like to make any donation (of any size!!) then please click below.

Come and peel some garlic with us!!

A Day in the Life of RCK

Each day we go out on several food distributions in Calais and Dunkirk. This requires extensive preparation and coordination across the whole kitchen team.

The distribution leads for the day inform the mains and carbs chef how many meals they are expecting to distribute in each site (the numbers are based on previous distributions and other factors such as weather and if other organisations will be in the area the time).

The prep lead is responsible for ensuring that the correct quantity of vegetables is prepped for mains. This means the kitchen works non-stop to get the food out on time while trying to produce as many additional sides/extras for the condiments table as possible.

During the morning the distribution leads will brief the distribution teams. These briefings focus on 3 points, the practicalities of how RCK runs a distribution, volunteer security and safety and finally field etiquette (how RCK behaves while on distribution).

The final job before leaving for distribution is to pack the vans. We pack the vans with; a hygiene create, tables, bins, spices, water/tea/coffee, plates, cups, spoons etc.

The team then drives to distribution sites and distributes the fresh food produced in the kitchen that day. Once finished the team head back to the kitchen, clean down the vans, tables, cool down any remaining food (to ensure it is a safe temperate before going into the fridge). For the distribution teams the day finishes with a debriefing which looks at practical/logistical areas to improve, any emotional responses/thoughts from the distribution that people may want to share and finally signposting to some resources that RCK has to help with volunteer welfare.

RCK's 2021

2021 has had its challenges, but we've also been lucky enough to be kept going by supporters, volunteers and donaters. in France we met Amal, we faced blocked distribution sites and we served over 250,000 meals. In the UK, new kitchens were set up, outreach posts added and we gained some incredible volunteers! All of this wouldn't have been possible without the support of the RCK Family - from individuals to groups to companies - Calais Light, Blandford CARES - Calais Aid, Refugees, Europe & Sudan, HertsforRefugees, Giorgio Locatelli, Andi Oliver, Migrate, CamCRAG, The Felix Project, Black Activists Rising Against Cuts. (BARAC), Abdul Saboor, The Rum Shack, thank you all and everyone we couldn't tag - you make it all possible.

Our new London kitchen!

Our new outreach kitchen in London is ready to go!

Just before Christmas we had to uproot for our home in Camden and start fresh in a new building, all within a few days.

Thanks to the help of a dedicated team we managed it and were back serving without missing a day - check out co-founder Paula's guided tour to see the new site!

We still have work to do though and still need your help - please donate what you can and help us serve those who need us as the temperatures drop.

Support us here: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/Londonkitchen