FoodCycle Honours 12 Volunteers Who Keep Meals Cooking
Behind every shared meal is a team of people giving their time. On 22 September, the UK charity FoodCycle announced the 12 winners of its Volunteer of the Year Awards 2026. The awards, run with The Marsh Charitable Trust, returned for a third year in a row.
FoodCycle volunteers cook, host, collect food and wash pots so that its community meals can run week after week. The awards cover regions across England and Wales, plus categories for schools and fundraising.
Some winners stood out for their warmth. In Cardiff Ely, Wendy T makes every birthday special with candles, singing and a small gift. In Newcastle Benwell, Gabriella L always makes other volunteers feel welcome, and guests miss her when she is not there. In Worcester, Tyler D was praised for her big smile, her positive energy and her work spreading the word.
Others are known for steady hard work. At Milton Keynes Wolverton, Dave P is fondly called 'Background Dave', because he is often spotted at the sink in the back of team photos, wearing rubber gloves and a warm smile. In London, Leon G has volunteered at many sites and hopes to help at least once at every FoodCycle location in the city.
The Schools award went to Duc N, who keeps several school meal projects running and has given more than 1,000 hours in a short time. Alexander C in Mitcham was praised for leading his team every week and cooking dishes close to restaurant quality.
The Fundraiser of the Year was Guy R, who ran 56 miles overnight on Christmas Eve 2025 and raised more than £2,000. FoodCycle thanked everyone who was nominated, saying it thinks they are all 'soup-er'.
