Food for London: A rabbi, a bishop and imam walk into a shop... it’s no joke, they’re helping to feed London’s hungry

Heard the one about the bishop, the rabbi, the imam and the Transit van? On a sunny day in Brondesbury Park, what sounds like the beginning of an old joke is instead a very modern reality as London’s faith leaders gather to give their blessing to the Evening Standard’s ground-breaking Food for London campaign.

“Waste is a sin,” said Richard Chartres, the Bishop of London. “I’ve yet to come across any religion that would dispute that. It’s a sin that has terrible consequences for the vulnerable. After the feeding of the 5,000, with the loaves and fishes, Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.’”

The Bishop, Imam Monawar Hussain and Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis had convened at St Laurence’s Larder, a soup kitchen for homeless people operating out of Christ Church with St Laurence in Brondesbury. They were helping deliver food donated by our campaign flagship, The Felix Project. Also in attendance was Chandresh Thakkar, manager of the local Hindu temple.

Rabbi Mirvis was quick to find the theological resonance in the Old Testament. “It is connected to an idea in Leviticus,” he said. “All the people who collect sheaves from the field are commanded to leave some behind, so the poor can follow them and with dignity pick up what is left. So providing for those who are less fortunate is built into the system.”

Helping the needy is also a commandment in Islam, added Imam Hussain: “In Islam, the wealth we have is a trust from God, not something that belongs to us. There’s a real importance at-tached to providing for the poor.”

Islam also has a dim view of waste: “As children, we were told that everything we do we would have to account for,” Imam Hussain said.

“If we waste water, we have to account for that. If we waste food, we have to account for that. If you drop a piece of bread on the floor, you’re supposed to pick it up, blow it, and eat it.”

The day’s haul, gathered from a local Sainsbury’s two hours previously, included plenty of surplus fresh fruit and vegetables, milk, pasta and two packs of Krispy Kreme doughnuts.

Stephen Chamberlain, founder of St Laurence’s Larder, relies on these Felix deliveries to provide 120 hungry Londoners with freshly cooked meals twice a week. Few are aware of the interfaith co-operation, said Mr Chamberlain, a former manager at L’Escargot restaurant in Soho. “We’re non-judgmental, and we respect everybody by not cooking meat. Only fresh, nourishing vegetarian meals, which is why Felix is so important to us.”

Having shifted the food from the van to the kitchen, the faith leaders sat and talked with the diners. Under a stained glass window, Imam Hussain spoke to Steve, 59, about his struggle with depression. Afterwards, he said: “Places like this provide a space where people can come together to rebuild their lives.”

The Bishop added: “The Evening Standard’s campaign to promote awareness over food waste is vitally important and will strike a powerful chord with Londoners wanting to tackle the issue of food poverty. Highlighting a cause and offering a message of hope is how you mobilise people and achieve change. I fully support this campaign and look forward to seeing the positive results which emerge over the coming months.”

The Chief Rabbi and the Imam nodded in agreement. Amen to that.