Since publishing late in August of 2015 this post has been viewed by more people than anything else I’ve ever published. Strong evidence of how welcome this new café is in Liverpool. However, as our Real Junk Food Café is only open at the weekends for now, most of these blog views have happened when readers couldn’t show their support by actually going to the café. So as the weekend arrives let’s put that right? See you there.
It shouldn’t have needed to happen, but I’m really glad it has. There’s a Real Junk Food Café in Liverpool. In Everton, in fact.
At 117 Shaw Street, on the corner of Everton Brow.
If you’ve been reading this blog since we visited the founding Real Junk Food Project in Leeds you might remember that in one of the richest economies on earth we’re throwing away 35% of our food, in a country where austerity politics is causing many people to go needlessly hungry. And so a movement has started that is intercepting this food at the moment it is pointlessly thrown away – and retrieving it on behalf of us all.
Welcome to the Real Junk Food Project, Liverpool.
Off the 76 bus by the rapidly being built new Royal Liverpool Hospital.
Round the corner to Shaw Street, just along there.
And yes, as you can probably tell, it’s raining heavily. So what? Your children won’t get any less hungry because it’s raining outside.
Past the Chapel and the Collegiate, all apartments now.
Along the reconstructured Georgian of Shaw Street.
The late Summer Gardens.
And the Cityscape.
Just outside the City Centre, in fact.
And opposite the Everton Lock-up.
So’s you know where it is.
Round the back of here.
The Real Junk Food Project, Liverpool.
Opening as I walk in. Ready to feed anyone who needs feeding.
You can pay as you feel for what you eat, volunteer as you like, help in any way you can.
As you may remember from where this all started in Armley, Leeds – we’re questioning everything here. How we care for each other, what we value in life, and what we allow to be thrown away just to maintain the commodity costs in the market place we’re all supposed to bow down and worship?
This place is set up and ready to disagree with all that.
Well resourced.
Well supplied.
And deeply committed.
And it’s about much more than money.
Natalie and Gabby who have set it up are getting loads of help.
From all kinds of local suppliers with food left over. Even from people’s allotments.
And yes, I’ve turned up early. So these people in the photos with Natalie and Gabby are all the team who’ve got Real Junk Food Liverpool ready to run.
But ready it is.
Aiming to have a good choice of food.
Meat, vegetarian and vegan, ideally. But of course it depends on what they can get, what they can stop from going to waste. So if you run a shop, a wholesalers, a café or a restaurant and you’ve got food left over? Or even if you’ve got an allotment and you’ve grown more than you can eat? Well you know now who needs it.
So well done the supporters so far, like Rough Hand Made here.
And what they’re making themselves.
Let’s all make this work.
Natalie and Gabby both have full-time jobs. So Real Junk Food Liverpool is just operating on Saturdays and Sundays for now. Yes, that’s right, it means the pair of them are working all the time.
So let’s get behind this. Real Junk Food Liverpool.
Everton Brow.
Opposite the wildflower meadow.
117 Shaw Street.
OK?
So big thanks to Riverside for the space and the kitchen. And if this doesn’t seem the obvious place in Liverpool to open a café, consider this:
Why not?
Far above the city streets we care for and cook for each other. And in saving what would otherwise be wasted, we change the world.
10 to 5 on Saturdays
11 til 4 on Sundays
Real Junk Food Liverpool
Interesting and immediate – as always Ronnie. I used to work at 117 Shaw St – in 1978 thanks, Mike.
Yes, I thought of you and of Petrus when I was there Mike.
It looks, sounds and is really amazing. I hope to follow your success for years to come.
After working for a large well known high street store, seeing the masses of daily waste & consistently going up against them by refusing to throw it in the skip… this makes my heart sing…. these stores pride themselves on pretending (on the surface) to be dedicated to “doing the right thing” … but ask any one working in these “Food Halls” we know different.. it would be wonderful to see more of these places popping up …
Brilliant idea. well done. i shall try and visit as i frequently live in the collegiate. thanks.
Fantastic. I will be heading on down and hoping to help
Well done it’s a great project and you all deserve the praise x
Great idea and wishing you all every success.
amazing! keep up the fantasic work… hope to see more prodjects opening soon… so exciting .. xx
Hi Beverley, this is the first one in Liverpool. But there are a lot around the country now. The next nearest is in Wigan, but Leeds – where all this started – has 8 Real Junk Food cafés.
An inspiring project, and long overdue in Liverpool. Looking forward to following progress and growth. Hats off to Riverside for their support too!
Just utterly brilliant! May their project grow and thrive and spawn loads more like it!
This is a fantastic idea, good luck to you all, I will definitely be paying a visit soon.
I THINK WHAT YOU ARE DOING IS ONE OF, IF NOT THE BEST GESTURES, I’VE EVER SEEN. IF I WAS ABLE I WOULD BE THERE TO HELP AND PAY YOU FOR THE PRIVELIDGE. MASSIVE GOOD WISHES FOR THE FUTURE.
MAY YOU ALWAYS BE BUSY AND THE POT NEVER EMPTY XX
Reblogged this on radical rumblings and commented:
Caring and cooking for each other in Everton. Going to give this a try
This looks fantastic! Thank you for bringing it to my attention. Living in the area I will visit.
I am humbled. Its a brilliant idea! Time to get off my ass…
This is so exciting, can’t wait to come and try it out. When is the next Sunday afternoon tea, my little girl would love that. I am from over the water and would just love a cafe like that here, maybe one day soon.
Hi Sharon, they’re open every Saturday and Sunday. But best get in touch direct – through their website – about the next afternoon tea?