VOLUNTEER FOR Maverick Humanity

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. 

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