More than 100 people sat down to eat at Second Helpings’ third anniversary party in Barn Hill Methodist Church, Stamford, last Saturday.

The evening was full of fun and friendship, with a three-course meal prepared and served by volunteers, and entertainment provided by Mamas of Swing.

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The guest speaker for the dinner, Duncan Milwain - chairman of the national Real Junk Food Project. He founded the Shipley Food Project four years ago, which provided the inspiration for Second Helpings.

Duncan works with a number of projects and charities throughout the UK with one key objective – “Feed Bellies not Bins”.

The aim of projects such as Second Helpings is to divert surplus edible food destined for waste and to then make it available for people to eat.

In the past three years Second Helpings has saved over 36 tonnes of food from going to landfill and fed 10,500 people with 17,250 servings.

Guests at the birthday party included local food producers, retailers and regular customers at the Saturday lunchtime pay as you feel café, as well as many of the volunteers, local chefs and people who wanted to know more about the challenges faced from food poverty and waste.

Two shocking statistics prompted a gasp in the room. The world wastes over 30 per cent of all food production, whether it’s through crops being left unharvested, packaging being damaged, vegetables being the “wrong shape”, sell-by dates being passed or just poor stock control of fridges and cupboards at home, but 10 per cent of the global population goes hungry every day.

Duncan challenged guests to ensure that within our lifetime an end is put to the senseless waste of food and to ensure that the next generation do not suffer.

Bringing a smile back to everyone’s faces was the local Stamford based swing band, Mamas of Swing. The party provided a great shop window to help relaunch their professional singing careers, having recently taken time off for their young family.

Everyone was asked to pay as you feel and more than £800 was raised which will be donated to Crisis, the charity that supports the homeless across the country.

Volunteers are always welcome. To find out more call George on 07891 437914 or pop along to Barn Hill Methodist Church hall any Saturday lunchtime.