Mayor of Lewisham to donate 20% of allowance to All Saints Community Centre
The first beneficiary of the Mayor's pledge is All Saints Community Centre in New Cross, with the donation helping to support the much-loved FoodCycle New Cross Community Meal.
Every Thursday, local volunteers prepare and serve free nutritious meals, bringing together people from all backgrounds in a welcoming and inclusive environment.
And the meal goes beyond just good food. It helps tackle social isolation by creating opportunities for residents to connect, make friends and access wider support in their community.
Liam Shrivastava, Mayor of Lewisham, said: "When I was running to be Mayor of Lewisham, I promised to donate 20% of my mayoral allowance to organisations doing incredible work to improve residents' access to healthy, affordable and culturally appropriate food. I'm delighted that All Saints Community Centre will be the first beneficiary of that commitment.
“As well as supporting this project, I want to use my role as Mayor to bring our amazing food justice groups together to see how we can build greater resilience and food security across Lewisham.
"Healthy food is a basic human right and this community meal is just one example of the fantastic work happening across Lewisham to ensure everyone can access nutritious food and feel connected to their local area. I'm proud to support it and the dedicated volunteers who make it possible."
All Saints Community Centre hosts a wide range of activities throughout the week, supporting residents of all ages and backgrounds.
Peter Webster, Chair of Trustees of All Saints Hatcham Community Centre, said: “All Saints Hatcham Community Centre is grateful to the Mayor for his continued support for the community meal that we host and which he worked with us and Food Cycle Lewisham to get up and running last year when he was one of our ward councillors. The chance to meet and talk to other local people over a healthy three-course lunch and drinks served and prepared by Food Cycle's teams of lovely volunteers has been a great blessing for many.”
Mel Shakespeare, FoodCycle Lewisham Coordinator at Lewisham Local, said, “We are delighted the Mayor has chosen to support the community meal at All Saints Community Centre. FoodCycle meals brings people together to enjoy a nutritious three-course meal, putting surplus food to good use to reduce loneliness and hunger. Since launching the meal in August 2025 thanks to Council funding, the project has served over 1,000 meals, serving 808 people and engaging over 100 volunteers. This funding will help to keep doors open for longer, someone we are keen to do as we approach the winter months."
People can sign up to volunteer at FoodCycle London.
Lewisham residents who are struggling with the rising cost of living can find information about support available – including help with food, household bills, employment and finances – by visiting the Council's cost of living webpage.
You can also check out Good Food Lewisham for a list of food projects and community meals like this one near you.