Established 2005 Registered Charity No. 1110656

Scottish Charity Register No. SC043760

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Food

April 01 2024

On how good the simple pleasure of cooking and eating a meal can make us feel. By Greta Gillett

I believe in order to have compassion for others you must have compassion for yourself. A real belief of mine is that we all deserve safety, privacy and the ability to cook our own meals, box it up in the fridge or freezer for later and then come back and eat it anytime you are ready. It’s not asking for much, but many hostels don't afford this little luxury, nor do many shared accommodations, refuges or dry houses.

One of the most common problems is people stealing your food, using your plates and cups and not once asking. I want to come home to my home and cook and nurture and soothe myself. I suffer with complex PTSD and a whole alphabet of disabilities and there is very little that soothes me as much as cooking for myself.

I love to cook Italian, Jamaican, stews, bread, cakes and sauces. I love to take my little table in my tiny little flat and lay it nicely with my charity shop crockery, I love to lay down my Lidl tablecloth. I love to use a coaster I got from Poundland and some days I even light a candle – also from Poundland.
I have as much compassion for myself as I do for others after a lifetime of not caring about myself, not only because of all the people who looked down at me, but the litany of professionals who wrote reports that said I did not meet the requirement for housing, medical support (either mental or physical) or even for food.

With compassion for ourselves comes a fierce fight for justice. We need to show love and care for everyone who needs it.

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