As a very infrequent Friday Hub volunteer, I was surprised to find myself to be among the most senior servers at the Ealing Soup Kitchen on the day, at least in Angela's eyes. A couple of regulars had dropped out of the rota, so two friends I introduced to the ESK today and two other volunteers had to step up for the job. The serving crew did fantastically, no matter the limited experience. The genuine smile and enthusiasm of my colleagues were in demand!

Spaghetti bolognese with beef or vegetables were on the menu. The vegetarian option disappeared quickly. Luckily, the vast majority of the clients were after the meaty version.

The two hours of lunch serving went quickly with clients constantly moving in and out the busy dining area. By the end of the shift we were surprised by the number of steps we did as waiters. It was a lively and rewarding activity for me and my friends.