Curry on the Street

To some, Curry on the Street’s concept might appear small and simple – a hot meal for people who need it – but its reach and positive impact is anything but. The charity, started by James Foy just over three and a half years ago, strives to bring local communities together by offering food, essentials and, most importantly, a place to have a chat for the people in our local area who are struggling most.

“It is a different charity,” James says, “and it’s not really even about the curry at all: it’s about getting people out from behind closed doors, getting the people who isolate themselves to come out of their house and be happy.” The decision to start Curry on the Street was inspired by a desire to give back to the community James feels saved his life. “I’d gone through a rough past. I lost my wife to a brain tumour after 30 years of marriage and it absolutely wrecked me. I was an alcoholic for quite a long time, and I’d attempted suicide and all sorts of stuff. I was referred to Colne Citadel to help me out and going there lifted my confidence. I’ve always said that place saved me.”

“Thankfully I’m out of that bad place now, but I understand exactly what people are going through, especially with addiction and bad mental health.” The most refreshing thing about the organisation is its commitment to having a positive impact on everybody involved, from the people receiving support to the volunteers themselves.

“I have volunteers now who have been through addiction, who have learning difficulties, who have faced poverty or mental health problems and they all want to help others going through the same situations. I think that’s why it’s working, because the volunteers too have had difficult times, they know what it’s like.”

The charity is also eager to get the wider community involved, too. “We often have children coming along to help and volunteer. It helps them as much as it helps the people we work with, plus they seem to love it. It allows them to see for themselves that people are really struggling, and it helps them to learn how to be kind.”

“I’ve found that there are so many lovely people who are willing to help if you just ask.”

“Many often don’t realise how bad things really are for some people. I want everybody in Lancashire, the children and their families, to know what’s going on outside their homes.” Curry on the Street allows for these people to gain this important awareness, as well as offering them a chance to play an active part in helping individuals in their local community.

For James, the key thing about Curry on the Street is a lack of judgement. “It doesn’t matter who they are or what they are going through, we make sure to never, ever judge Nobody has to tell us what’s wrong, but the important thing is that there are people there to talk to. “I’ve found that there are so many lovely people who are willing to help if you just ask. It is so simple just to say, ‘I need help,’ and there is someone there. If you can make that first little step, it opens everything up for you and can change your life. That’s certainly how I look at things now.

From me being at death’s door, I see that it’s lovely to be alive. It was the people I spoke to that saved my life.” In just three and a half years, the organisation has expanded rapidly. Not only does it currently operate from three permanent venues in Colne, Nelson and Burnley, but it has grown from giving out 12 curries a week back when it first started, to over 260 curries every single
week, something only made possible by the support from local people and businesses. “We are lucky enough to be entirely funded by donations from local businesses,” James explains. “Without them, and of course our volunteers, what we do would be impossible.”

Naturally, with fast expansion comes deserved recognition. Most notably, Curry on the Street has been commended at both the BBC Radio Lancashire Awards and the Pride of Nelson Awards. “These awards have opened everything up,” James says. “It’s really rewarding, but it is never about the awards themselves, because that’s not why we do what we do. Like I say, we do it to help everybody in the community.”

“You can really see the difference just from having a chat and a bowl of curry and rice”

Looking to the future, James expressed hope in seeing a continued positive change for many in the local community: “we don’t judge anybody in our community, but we do need to try and get these issues cleaned up. I know we can do it because over the three and a half years, we’ve seen a big, big difference in so many people.” “It sometimes gets emotional because the people are just so lovely, and you can really see the difference, you can see how they’ve lifted a bit and become more confident just from having a chat and a bowl of curry and rice. It makes it worth it. I don’t care about awards or anything really, just as long as they get from behind their curtains and closed doors and come to us. People are struggling, and it is only getting harder, but that’s why we’re so grateful for all the support, all the donations, and all the volunteers.” Curry on the Street is always looking for new volunteers. “We have a Facebook page, and from there people can ring Sharon, our manager – that’s the best way of getting in touch.”

From humble beginnings, Curry on the Street is now one of Lancashire’s biggest charities, and will likely only continue to grow and expand; though when it does, we can be sure, thanks to people like James, that it will never lose its personal touch, the thing that makes it feel less like a charity and more like a community.

Although they gratefully recieved a years funding from the national lottery recently, Curry On The Street still rely heavily on donations. And as they work outside in Nelson and Burnley in all weathers are desperately looking for a building for services and for storage. To offer services or donations you contact them through their Facebook page.

 

NorthernLife Nov/Dec 22