Meet Spam From The Hollingbean

This week we introduce you to Spam. A name that was given to one of our volunteers as a child by his school friends, not because of his love for tinned meat, but because of his appearance. 

Spam has a passion for food and music and combines the two taking his business, The Lizard Stage and Cafe to festivals across the UK.

Why did you first get involved with TRJFP?

I get really annoyed with food waste and thought it was such a great idea. After meeting with one of the directors through a friend, I decided to get involved.

What is your role with TRJFP and can you tell us a little bit more about it?

I've been looking after the logistics at The Hollingbean cafe for around 4 months now. I collect the food and help weigh it all so we can keep a track on everything we are doing. During the cafe, I make sure everything is working as it should be and I serve up plates of our delicious food. Our lunches take a good few hours to prep and cook. I find it's really helpful to work to music and do my best to select the right tunes to suit the crew and how they are feeling.

Have you ever volunteered before?

I've done lots of volunteering before for many organisations including the Brighton Permacultural Trust, The Green Party, Friends of the Earth and Oxfam. I'm interested in charities that support the environment and I've helped on stalls and at events.

What's the weirdest thing you've come across and a Junk Food cafe?

On Christmas Eve this guy arrived with the biggest panettone I've ever seen. He had won it in a raffle and was never going to eat it all so donated it to RJFP. It got served up at the One Church cafe on Christmas day and I hear they actually struggled to lift it!

What's the best food you've eaten at the cafe?

Everything I've eaten at the Real Junk Food has been great. They are lucky to have some amazing chefs on board and Ingrid at The Hollingbean always makes something new and amazing from food destined for the bin.

Who would you invite to your dream dinner party?

Hmm, tricky one because my favourite meals are ones with close friends and family but if you allowing me to cross space and time and get out of doing any washing up then I think some pretty interesting dinner guests would be the author David Mitchell, Bjork, Ghandi, David Bowie, Nelson Mandela and the artist Frida Kahlo.

How do you relax after volunteering with RJFP?

I like  to play beach volleyball and help run a small whisky tasting club called Malt 'n' Copper.  A lot of my time in the summer is taken up with The Lizard Stage and Cafe. I've been part of it for 10 years and we go to all sorts of events from huge ones like Glastonbury and Womad to tiny ones like our own festival The Rollright Fayre.

What's your festival all about?

The Rollright Fayre is a small independent festival10th July and is an intimate, family friendly weekend of live music, DJ's, circus, workshops and fun. It's a lot of work with very little (if any) financial reward but it's a genuine pleasure to be involved in this growing community and continuing the progression of such a unique vibe.

What is the most valuable thing you have learnt from RJFP?

With just a small group of passionate people, you can make actual real change and projects can become great. 

Instead of seeing "waste" see an unutilised resource / output.

Where do you see RJFP in the future?

There should be at least one cafe for every supermarket. The cafes have a wonderful opportunity to utilise food waste and strengthen communities by facilitating integration.

If you could change one thing in the world what would it be?

Big corporations and the rich elite are becoming more powerful. It's high time we addressed the massive inequality in the world. How can anyone justify the wages and profits some people and businesses make when their wealth is a product of so many things that in my opinion should be shared equally,  including natural resources and the environment. Why does a manager get paid 10-100 times more than the workers grafting for them? This is modern slavery and something I don't want to be complicit with. Every time I spend money I do my best to make positive choices and thereby invest in the kind of world I want to live in.