'Life and soul' Lesley wins charity award for helping feed community

A community cook who turned her passion for food and friendship into a way to help others, has won a volunteering award after helping serve thousands of free meals for Havant people.

- by News Reporter

Retired support worker Lesley Clements, 68, has volunteered for three years as a cooking team leader at the FoodCycle Havant community meal - helping tackle hunger, loneliness and food waste.

Each week the team turns surplus food that would otherwise go to waste into three-course meals for anyone who wants them.

Served at 6.30pm every Thursday at St Joseph's Church on West Street, the project is run by UK community dining charity FoodCycle.

Now Lesley, who has four daughters and nine grandchildren, has been named South East winner of FoodCycle's Regional Volunteer of the Year Awards 2025.

The awards, run in partnership with the Marsh Charitable Trust, celebrate the dedication, kindness, and commitment of FoodCycle volunteers who go above and beyond to support their local communities.