There was definitely an Autumnal feel this evening and we three of Luton's GoodGymers i the kitchen at FoodCycle there was no surprise that the mini pumpkin like squashes were turned into a delicious soup by Lucie. Gill suggested that it was like having our very own soup dragon (being from the generation that watched black and white tv programmes. Unfortunately her attempts to recreate the Clangers meant the others thought she was losing the plot. She and Dani git on with creating a lively earthy mushroom and lentil loaf and a delightful bread and butter pudding - with help from the other FoodCycle volunteers. Neill and Abdulrahman were hosting again and Abdulrahman , as always, had a smile throughout the evening - even when hoovering the church hall at the end of the session. Well done team, another delicious meal and lits of happy guests.

Another busy night at FoodCycle and fortunately we had lots of fruit including a crate of plums. So plums it was for the dessert. Gill concocted a mango pudding and was then helped by Lucie to make a very tasty plum compote. Lucie had also been busy prepping the stir fried cabbage and the veg for the main course. And of course our meal wouldn’t be the success it was without the hosting team, and Neill and Abdulrahman were great at packing the grocery bags to take home, setting up the hall and serving the food to the guests . They made a great job of clearing up afterwards. We may not be sugar plum fairies but we certainly worked some magic tonight.

Good things come in threes: * 3 GoodGymers helped at Foodcycle last night * 3 different roles were filled (food collection, cooking and hosting * Sainsbury's only provided Gill with 3 crates of food for the meal. * Lucie had fun in the kitchen helping to sort out another volunteers mistake when he was trying to make 3 litres of custard - he'd mixed enough powder for 30 litres and wondered why it had become like rock. * 3 course meal served to guests by Abdulrahman and the hosting team. * 3 + 30 guests enjoyed their meal

6 goodgymers did great work at serving meals to 38 adult guests and 6 children. Lucie and Gill came up with an amazing menu while Sam, Abdulrahmen,Hussein and Neill did a great job of setting up, welcoming, hosting and clearing up. Starter: Roasted vegetables meze with tahini dressing. Main : Veggie burger, carrot and parsnip chips with lettuce and cucumber garnish. Dessert: Blueberry sponge with fruit sauce.

It was a wonderful and rewarding experience. We helped serve food and drinks to visitors, worked alongside a friendly and supportive team, and enjoyed meeting people from different backgrounds. It was great to see the community come together and to be part of an event that made a positive difference. We were grateful for the opportunity and look forward to volunteering again.