York: Middle Feast and Carecent help others on Christmas Day

Wael Garas opened his restaurant, Middle Feast – providing free takeaway meals to those in need as well as people working throughout the festivities.

He planned to open his doors in Lendal from 12pm to 2pm.

But by 10am he saw ambulance staff outside and opened early.

“I’m not saying no,” Wael said.

Wael Garas outside Middle Feast in Lendal (Image: Dylan Connell)

The Press called by at around 12.30pm and there was already a queue outside.

“It’s busy, it’s been good,” Wael said at the time.

“I feel happy to do something for people that don’t have money.”

Read next: Archbishop of York praises Middle Feast Christmas Day meals

“People need to think about other people,” he added.

Wael said he plans to do a similar event next Christmas to help others.

Across town, the Carecent team was dishing out free meals to homeless people and those that have fallen on hard times in the Central Methodist Church in St Saviourgate.

The Carecent team on Christmas Day (Image: Dylan Connell)

The organisation opens the church to provide free breakfasts, clothes and advice from 8.30am to 10.45am every week from Monday to Saturday.

But today it extended its opening times to make sure that no one went without a Christmas dinner.

'If you didn’t have things like this in York I dread to think what it would be like here'

Toeby Meldrum caught up with The Press after his meal and said the food was “absolutely amazing”.

“It was better than my mother’s,” he joked.

He spoke of the important role Carecent plays in York.

“You need to have these places,” Toeby explained.

“I don’t know what would happen without them. People would die.”

This feeling was echoed by many others at the church.

“All these people are here for a good reason,” another service user told The Press.

“(Carecent) holds things together and helps people stay together.

“If you didn’t have things like this in York I dread to think what it would be like here.”

Read next: Carecent prepares to serve Christmas dinner with all the trimmings

“They look after each other,” added another service user outside the church.

“Some people here have no one, but they’ve got each other.”

'Anyone can end up in this situation'

Some of the volunteers working on Christmas Day have been helping Carecent for many years and spoke of the close community that has been created.

“Anyone can end up in this situation,” said Frank Brogan, who has been volunteering for five years.

Around 50 people called by the church for a meal.

“It’s just a fabulous atmosphere,” said June Brown, who has been volunteering for nine years.

“A lot of these people are now our friends.”

“I just love working with these guys,” added Jill Marshall, who has been volunteering for around 10 years.

“I enjoy it,” said Stuart Roberts, who has volunteered for the past seven Christmases.

“I like helping people.”

• For more information about Carecent visit: https://www.carecent.org.uk/
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