I absolutely love working with the Maverick humanity team. We are a group of likeminded people , led by Simon, who give our time to help support people who may be suffering from homelessness or vulnerability.
Both volunteers and customers have a special place in my heart. Thursdays are always fun, uplifting and entertaining. I love chatting to everyone and greeting old and new friends.
Everyone is equal and valued - Maverick humanity is one special
Place to volunteer.
It must go back to when I was a young whipper snapper & my mum's influence that got me hooked on cooking.
My mum would always get myself & younger brother's involved, especially the baking side of thing's. Butterfly cakes, cupcakes & biscuits, I loved it.
So that was it, I wanted to become a chef. Did my work experience at a 4 star hotel & was given an apprenticeship the first day in the kitchen.
Since then I never looked back, cooking in all different types of cooking establishments. But my greatest chefing achievement was being awarded a Michelin star in my restaurant I had in Brighton within the first 6 months of trading.
Then my head was turned in the direction of South Africa where I took my cooking skills & food knowledge working on different award winning wine farms in & around Cape Town & at the same time dating & getting married to my amazing wife now of 10 year's.
Then illness started taking its toll & it was then I had to return to the UK.
Where I was still chefing, just not at the heights I would of liked, because of my health problems.
Then an old boss of mine, now my best friend introduced me to Maverick Humanity & what good things it does & is doing to help vulnerable & homeless people in Camden Town.
So i thought with my cooking skills I could contribute & give a little something back to people that are struggling & in a far worse place than I am.
Maverick Humanity is led by a truly amazing man. Simon is inspirational he is totally selfless his days are spent helping, cooking always looking for ways to increase and help all the vulnerable people who depend on his work. Simon also inspires all his volunteers to give of themselves to spend time serving, caring and talking to the people who visit the trailer on Thursday night.
It inspired me to, maybe you too.
Regards
Sandra
I was introduced to Maverick Humanity in 2023. I was resident in a homeless hostel myself at that point after a period of time on the streets following a business failure, divorce and a 16 year battle with PTSD from military service.
Volunteering has helped me regain social confidence and a sense of belonging after a long period of isolation.
The work of volunteering is sometimes challenging. My main efforts are in the kitchen where we try to cook for 120+ people at a time whilst juggling menus against what has been donated.
I came across Simon’s go fund me page just over a year ago. I wrote to him and asked if he would give me a call. After an hour on the phone to him, I knew that this was the charity that my husband and I wanted to give our time to.
We have been going to Camden almost every week for over a year now. It fills us both with pure joy. The service that we provide for our customers is quite amazing. Free food, free clothes, a haircut and unconditional love from all of us to all of them. Homelessness should and could be avoided. As my husband always says we are all only 3 paychecks away from being homeless! It should be something that is close to all of our hearts.
Simon the founder is the most exceptional, kind man I have ever met.
Nicola
Email: simon@maverickhumanity.org