St Matthew’s Church on Stanley Road in Bootle, Merseyside, has launched a weekly FoodCycle community meal that provides free, three-course hot vegetarian dinners to the public every Tuesday evening. The sit-down service begins at 7:00pm and is running through the 2026 spring and Easter season to help residents affected by the cost-of-living crisis and to offer a friendly space to socialise.
The meals are organised by St Matthew’s in partnership with the national charity FoodCycle. Volunteers collect surplus, edible food from local supermarkets, shops and markets that would otherwise go to waste and use it to prepare meat-free three-course meals served in the church hall.
There is no need for a referral or voucher to attend; FoodCycle and the project team operate an open-door policy and welcome everyone. Local data from Sefton Council and recent local analyses underline the need for community food support in the area — Sefton’s child poverty reporting notes almost one in six children in the borough live in poverty, and local assessments used in reporting indicate many Bootle residents face food insecurity.
Rev Paula Bridson, vicar of St Matthew’s, helped bring the FoodCycle project to Bootle in partnership with the charity. The church hall doubles as a social hub where guests can enjoy a sit-down dinner and conversation with neighbours.
The initiative is part of a wider network of community food projects across the city, mapped by Feeding Liverpool. St Matthew’s is at 410 Stanley Road, Bootle, L20 5AE, and anyone looking for a meal or company is encouraged to attend.
