Carrick’s ‘Doorstep Dinners’ team delivers 10,000 hot meals

Carrickfergus Vineyard Church representatives were joined by the Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Peter Johnston and John Stewart MLA as they marked the ‘Doorstep Dinners’ milestone.

The church extended thanks to Jack Creighton and the staff from Ownies Bar Bistro, who have partnered with it to provide many meals and to Drew Hamill from Victoria Evangelical Hall who has helped to get the dinners to people in the community.

Chantel Daniels, pastor, said: “Doorstep Dinners is kindness and compassion in action. We want to say a massive thank you to everyone who has played their part and we know this story will keep developing to meet needs in the community as things change coming out of lockdown.

“We are so grateful to be able to care for precious people in our town in this way.”

The project started from humble beginnings with a couple from the church wanting to help people as lockdown started. It has now grown to a team of cooks, drivers, befrienders, administrators, along with staff and volunteers from Carrickfergus Vineyard Church, friends, family, neighbours and other churches who have all helped and been part of this story. And thanks to Carrickfergus YMCA they now have a bigger kitchen to cook in.

The church has worked in partnership with Carrickfergus Foodbank and businesses such as Spar Fortfield and have greatly appreciated other generous donations. Carrickfergus Vineyard even got to use some produce from its allotment at Eden.

John Stewart said: “An absolute pleasure to join the team from Carrickfergus Vineyard Church as they marked the 10,000th Doorstep Dinner cooked and delivered to those in need across our community.

“Over the past weeks I have had the privilege of doing some of the deliveries. It has been so moving just to see the appreciation and delight on the faces of the elderly and vulnerable recipients.”

The Carrickfergus church is part of Vineyard Churches UK and Ireland, a network of over 120 churches.

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Cick here to read: Over 2,500 hot meals for vulnerable in ‘slick’ Carrickfergus operation

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