"In a brilliantly simple initiative, cooking an extra portion of your supper and sharing it with an elderly neighbour is transforming the lives of both cooks and diners. Natasha Lunn speaks to two women – with 40 years between them – on how they bonded over dinner." *How to get involved with Casserole Club* Go to http://casseroleclub.com and get cooking. If you know someone who could benefit from a regular home-cooked meal in Barnet, Reigate and Banstead or Tower Hamlets (more places to be added), call Casserole Club on 020 3475 3444. If you don’t live in one of these areas but are keen to get involved, email hello@casseroleclub.com

1. CHARITY
Oruj, right, volunteers every
fortnight to cook for Munna,
who lives on her own
Happy
MEALS
How to get
involved
In a brilliantly simple charity
initiative, cooking an extra
portion of your supper and
sharing it with an elderly
neighbour is transforming
the lives of both cooks and
diners. Natasha Lunn speaks
to two women – with 40
years between them – on
how they bonded over dinner
W
124 REDONLINE.CO.UK
MARCH 2014
a vivid storyteller – isn’t someone you need to tiptoe
around. Oruj, on the other hand, has every reason
not to volunteer her already overstretched time – two
children (Zadie, six, and Muna, four), a husband and
an accountancy business (accountancy-advantage.com).
If it wasn’t for the charity Casserole Club, which
encourages people to cook for someone in need in their
neighbourhood, their paths would never have crossed.
Casserole Club champions food sharing, setting up
young ‘cooks’ and elderly ‘diners’ in the same area. Its
concept is simple: volunteers prepare an extra portion
of food and share home-cooked meals (and hopefully
conversations) on a regular basis. Oruj and Munna
are just two of around 300 people sharing food in
Reigate and Banstead, Tower Hamlets, Barnet and
HAIR AND MAKE-UP LINDSEY POOLE. STYLING MELANIE ASHWORTH. ORUJ
WEARS: JUMPER, PAUL SMITH. SHIRT, CHINTI AND PARKER. JEANS, J BRAND.
NECKLACE, ZARA. EARRINGS, HER OWN. MUNNA WEARS: SHIRT, WHISTLES.
JEWELLERY, HER OWN
Photograph Victoria Birkinshaw
HEN I ARRIVE AT A RETIREMENT HOME
in West Finchley on a Saturday lunchtime,
I’m armed with my best small talk, prepared
to confront an awkward situation. I’m here
to meet two women: 82-year-old Munna (who lives here
alone) and 40-year-old Oruj (a mother-of-two who has
volunteered to cook for her every fortnight). They only
met nine weeks ago, so I’m expecting to fill the odd
silent pause amid a solemn soundtrack of forks and
knives scraping china plates.
Happily, I’m completely off the mark. I’m ushered into
a living room humming with warmth and wisdom, where
conversations are punctuated with laughter. This could
be any family’s meal time. In fact, it’s the result of two
strangers’ lives overlapping. Munna – feisty, opinionated,
Staffordshire. Every other week, Oruj brings a vegetarian
Oruj has also found that she’s gained a much-valued
dish, and her daughters, into Munna’s home. It’s a warm,
sounding board in her life. ‘Visiting Munna gives our life
wonderful idea in theory. But, in practice, why would
an added dimension. I would definitely ask her advice
a time-poor mum who is already juggling accountancy
– she has so much experience, it’s like tapping into this
with the school runs actually sign up to it?
vast fountain of knowledge. I feel like I have somebody
For Oruj, motivation struck when her neighbour fell
calm I can go to, who will say, “Look, I’ve been through
down the stairs and sadly died from a heart attack. ‘No
all of this, relax, it’s fine.”’
one found her for three days,’ she explains. ‘It made
I recognise this feeling. A couple of years ago, somewhat
me stop and think: isn’t it awful that someone on our
uncharacteristically (after a bout of hangover-inspired
street lived such a lonely life? I decided I wanted to have
self-loathing), I signed up to volunteer for Independent
some communication with my community – the people
Age (independentage.org), a charity that provides support
around me.’ After spotting a tiny ad in the local paper,
to elderly people on low incomes. I was 26, straddling
she discovered Casserole Club.
a career change and a flailing relationship, with two jobs
Sharing food is, and always has
and a diary bursting with ‘things I should
been, a bonding experience. And as
go to’ – any spare time I could clutch was
warm, spicy smells of vegetable stew
reserved for my ever-patient friends.
waft around the room, the sociable
Then, like Oruj, I decided I wanted
and inclusive mood is infectious.
to do something more with my life. So
An hour into my visit, I realise the
I met Bree – a feisty 73-year-old who
food on the table is just an incidental
drinks faster than I do, swears and
extra. For Munna, the benefits are
happily dishes out her opinions on
Go to casseroleclub.com
obvious: something to look forward to,
everything from my break-ups to my
and get cooking. If you
some company and, most importantly,
career, as long as I promise to leave my
know someone who
‘a chance to laugh’. I sense that she, like
pity at home. She is often my confidante,
could benefit from a
so many other elderly people, has stark
sometimes my drinking partner, always
regular home-cooked
moments of loneliness. ‘There are so
a bright spark and never a charity case.
meal in Staffordshire,
many widows around, like me, with
Munna is similarly independent.
Barnet, Reigate and
no one to talk to, no one to go out with,
Undoubtedly, she is looking for
Banstead or Tower
absolutely nothing,’ she says. ‘I find
companionship – she lives in her
Hamlets (more places to
the boredom very, very hard.’
own flat within the home and has no
be added), call Casserole
Thankfully Munna met her cook, Oruj
interaction with anyone else there – but
Club on 020 3475 3444. If
– who, along with her two daughters,
she doesn’t want to be mollycoddled.
you don’t live in one of
has become a ‘second family’. But Oruj
She wants to talk about life in Bengal,
these areas but are keen
reaps the benefits of the relationship,
books and, believe it or not, men;
to get involved, email
too. ‘Before, I was just on a treadmill
no topic of conversation is off limits.
hello@casseroleclub.com
trying to make my business successful,
‘We talk about our relationships, our
trying to bring up my children, trying
families, our stories from growing up.
to interact with the school – just living.’
Every aspect of our lives,’ she says.
Then, she decided she wanted
As our plates are cleared, I think
something more from her life – and that
about the fact that here, in one living
something turned out to be Munna.
room, three generations are mixing
Of course there’s the obvious ‘selfish
and giggling and swapping stories.
element’. And why shouldn’t we wear our benevolence
While ‘life-changing’ might be a phrase that teeters on
badges with pride? ‘I get to feel good about myself and enjoy
the brink of schmaltz, as I listen to Munna talking about
telling people I do this,’ admits Oruj. ‘It comes with a kind of
meeting Oruj, and her children, the words seem to fit.
kudos.’ How does she cram everything in? I am busy, but
‘It has inspired such a change in me,’ confesses Munna.
because we’ve found such a fantastic connection – and I need
‘I can’t tell you how much it’s given me, I really can’t.
to cook for the kids anyway – it doesn’t feel like a chore.’
We can only see how long our relationship lasts – but
And that’s the simple brilliance of Casserole Club: a few
I hope it never breaks.’
more potatoes, one or two extra handfuls of rice – that’s
Later as I make my way home, I contemplate the
all it takes to make a difference to someone else’s life.
consequences of loneliness, and marvel at what I’ve
‘You always think charity is going to be a pain, don’t you?’
just witnessed: the elderly woman who can’t believe
says Oruj. ‘But it’s just not like that with Munna. Like the
her luck and her cook, a busy woman, not so different
gym, when you start you worry about how you’re going
from me, trying to live a useful life. No martyrs, no
to fit it in, but then you get into a routine – the more you
objects of pity; just two people slotting their lives
do it, the easier it becomes.’
together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. e
Boyfriends, career crossroads – what does Natasha really discuss with 73-year-old Bree? Meet them at… REDONLINE.CO.UK/BLOGS