Peter O’Grady with his big pot of free food

A LIFELINE food charity which provides 2,000 meals a day to homeless and vulnerable people in Somers Town has been given a three month warning to leave its premises.

Food For All has operated from the former site of St Aloysius School in Phoenix Road for more than four years, providing hot meals and essential food parcels to people in need. Users have not been asked to show a voucher or referral document when seeking help.

But the charity has now been told they must be out by mid January after Euston Foodbank, which shares the site, said it needed to reclaim the kitchen that Food For All had been using on a temporary basis.

Peter O’Grady, founder of Food For All UK, said they were “horrified” by the decision and were calling on the Euston Foodbank trustees to reconsider.

“The trustees should just stop and think, it’s the people who are struggling who will suffer the most,” he said. “In Somers Town I can put a box of food out at midnight – that’s 28 meals and it’ll be gone in 15 minutes.

“It’s a poor area but it’s a great community and we have a good relationship with everybody. When I come in at 5am there are people already queuing to get something to eat. There’s a food crisis going on, there are people struggling out here.”

Jonathan Lee, chair of trustees at Euston Foodbank, said Food For All could use its kitchen “while it was not needed for the foodbank.” But he added that they were planning to use the space again to offer clients food and drinks.

Mr O’Grady, who has been working in the borough since 1988, said: “They can have their kitchen back – we could have a mobile kitchen just on the other side of the yard. It’s an old school, there is plenty of space for everyone.

“We take care of the people who can’t get a voucher and just need something to eat. It’s a panicky situation. We’re trying everywhere at the moment to find a new site, and Christmas is very busy for us. We don’t have much time.”

In early June, the New Journal reported that Euston Foodbank was struggling and that to “avoid closure” it would be limiting food provision only to those in the most urgent need. The foodbank is now open two days a week and said people arriving without a referral were addressed on an “individual-by-individual basis.” The charity is supported by the Trussell Trust, a national food charity.

Mr O’Grady said finding an alternative site for Food For All at short notice would be very challenging as they needed a suitable kitchen, toilet facilities and to be close to a train station.

“This is very black and white. There is no reason for us to have to leave,” he said. “They can’t say we make a lot of mess, or the neighbours don’t like them, or the food is no good. They don’t have anything to say.

“There are people who need more support than just two days a week and we do that and we’re good at that. We have never had any conflict with the foodbank, and we’re hoping we can work out a solution with them.”

Revd Lee, chair of trustees at the food bank, said: “For several years Euston Foodbank’s clients have had to wait their turn to be served outside in the courtyard of its premises. The trustees are pleased that clients will soon be welcomed inside, with shelter, seating and a warm drink while their food parcels are prepared.

“Food For All has had temporary use of the foodbank’s kitchen while it was not needed by the foodbank. From spring, the foodbank plans to use the kitchen to offer clients food as well as drinks. The trustees have therefore agreed with Food For All that they will vacate the kitchen early in the new year.”