October 13, 2022 6.30 am This story is over 27 months old

Boston church offering free community lunches sees demand rise

Its own gas bill limits it from opening more often

A church in Boston offering free meals and a warm place to sit for the local community in Boston has seen an increase in demand like never before for its services.

Centenary Methodist Church runs the service on donations and surplus food from supermarkets and is open every Wednesday and Friday.

It would like to open on more days, but its own gas bill limits them at a time when everyone is worrying about rising costs.

Volunteer Chef Joanna Criddle told BBC Look North: “We started out doing 25 meals. The numbers have gradually gone up and usually it’s been 40 and 60.”

Volunteer Rachel Gosling, who lives alone in a flat, is struggling with the rising cost of living, but said she “wanted to give something back” to the service which helped her.

She said: “I quite often go to stay at my family’s, like my sister’s, sometimes three or four nights a week so I don’t have to pay for the electric. It cost me £5 in one day just for wash, dry, cooking and a quick shower and it all adds up.”