A meal service helping families in Buckinghamshire to get free hot food has pleaded for donations after growing demand for the service.  

Big Community Takeaway helps hundreds of families and individuals in Chesham, Amersham and the surrounding villages.

The service relies completely on donations and the help of volunteers to serve its “two-course restaurant quality hot meal to people in crisis”.

BCT’s communications and fundraising head and trustee Hannah Marsh said: “Demand is high, especially at the moment with the cold weather and the cost of living crisis so we need to raise as much money as we can to support people in these difficult times.

“We know people are choosing between eating and heating and the provision of a hot meal at least will keep them warm.

Big Community Takeaway started as an emergency community response to the hardship caused by the Covid pandemic in May 2020.

The volunteers have since cooked and delivered more than 17,000 freshly cooked meals, Hannah said.

Hannah said: “We’ve had a great response to our campaign, with Great Missenden Tennis Club raising nearly £2,000 through a quiz evening and donations from individuals and businesses over the last few weeks.”

BCT wants to help even more people and more donations we welcome as “any contribution, no matter how big or small, helps,” she added.

The service operates on application basis, and people thinking they might qualify were encouraged to check the BCT website here for instructions.

The Big Community Takeaway volunteers are busy preparing for the last service of the year on Thursday December 22 and Tuesday December 27.

Big Community Takeaway JustGiving fundraiser can be found here.