Samantha Couzens, 27, was new to Walthamstow when she volunteered to prepare dinner meals at an area hostel in 2019. She had no concept it might lead her to friendship and deep-rooted fulfilment.
“I’d been busy cooking Thursday night time dinners by myself once I discovered one other volunteer who lived a few roads over can be becoming a member of me,” Samantha, a meals photographer, remembers. “I felt nervous, however we walked to the hostel collectively, and by the point we arrived, I felt like I’d recognized Penny without end.
“Penny is constructive, form and assured. She doesn’t shrink back from doing issues, usually becoming a member of native marches to face up for the issues she believes in, and is an actual pleasure to be round. It didn’t take lengthy for us to grow to be good associates.”
Feeling that it was a privilege to make a dwelling within the meals trade, Samantha wished to pay her luck ahead – a philosophy Penny, 71, shared. The pair, who each lived alone on the time, now love cooking what they name “faculty dinner” meals each Thursday at Branches in Walthamstow, a charity that gives help for single homeless individuals.
Samantha says: “Meals is the good leveller. No matter your life story, all of us like to take a seat all the way down to a pleasant meal, rub our palms collectively, and tuck in with good firm. Penny and I share the identical want to assist others with this primary human want.”
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The duo meal-plan collectively, offering a meat and vegetarian important in addition to pudding for 12-16 individuals, utilizing components donated to the hostel every week.
“We do numerous stews and casseroles with mash, creamy rooster or vegetable pie, risotto, bolognese, pasta bakes – hearty, school-dinner-style consolation meals. Penny is the crumble queen, and no matter we now have goes right into a crumble with litres of custard. It’s a large hit.”
Samantha and Penny’s connection has grown with each meal.
“Whereas we prepare dinner, we make amends for the week and chat about no matter is on our thoughts. When our friendship started, I didn’t know anybody within the space, and Penny turned an enormous a part of my life.”
And but, individuals are shocked to listen to concerning the pair’s age hole.
“A lot of our associates marvel how we are able to have a lot in widespread. I do know completely different ages often means completely different existence and experiences, however Penny and I’ve a lot in widespread, our ages don’t matter.”
The pair have supported each other via break-ups, sickness and different life hurdles.
“Heaps has occurred for us each since we met. I stop my job, began my very own enterprise and went via a break-up. We each lived alone via the lockdowns and navigated them one of the best we might. Afterwards, our friendship strengthened additional, as we cherished one another much more.”
Now, Samantha lives together with her companion Charlie, and Penny has been championing his nook for the reason that pair’s first date.
“I used to be satisfied I didn’t need one other relationship, however Penny might see there was one thing particular about Charlie and the best way I talked about him. I feel she all the time knew we’d find yourself collectively, regardless of me insisting it was not that severe – and, after all, she was proper!”
Lately, Penny took a number of months away from her volunteering because of in poor health well being. “She was very unwell, and it was a scary time. I nonetheless went to the hostel each week and all of us actually missed Penny. Now, fortunately, she’s higher and we’re again to our weekly volunteering, coffees and walks – I worth her greater than ever.
“Every week, we prepare dinner, chat and reminisce with the residents over shared faculty recollections, no matter how completely different our lives have been since. Having Penny in my life has made me extra open as an individual, a greater listener and given me a way of belonging right here in Walthamstow. I actually cherish our friendship – I’m so grateful for the bond we’ve constructed serving pie, mash, crumble and custard.”
Make Samantha’s hearty vegetable stew and dumplings.
This text first appeared in BBC Good Meals journal, Could 2023.
