Ma’ Kelly’s Kitchen is a non-profit small charity based in Keighley, Bradford, that hands out hot meals and food parcels to the most vulnerable in the community.
Set up in March 2020 during the first national lockdown, Ma’ Kelly’s kitchen has been instrumental in helping elderly people have hot meals and families get access to food needed to keep them going.
Tracey Turner, student relations officer at Keighley College, and co-founder of Ma’ Kelly’s Kitchen said: “At the start of the lockdown in March 2020, myself and my sister Kelly Turner, a cook at Worth Valley Private Day Nursery, and Dylan Ryan, a furniture restorer, got together as we saw a need in the elderly community. These residents were shielding and some had no help and support. With the help of Big Local Keighley who supported with funding, we were able to support more people.”
With Tracey and Kelly working in the education sector full-time, Ma’ Kelly’s Kitchen operates when school is out. During lockdown and half-term time, Ma’ Kelly’s Kitchen has given out thousands and thousands of food parcels and hot meals, with over 500 hot meals going out a week and up to 700 food parcels going out to families in need in the area.
The team at the charity start work at 7 am where they cook the hot meals, fill and address the takeaway boxes ready for collection, prepare the boxes for the driver that delivers the parcels to people in the community, with constant cleaning and hand sanitizing in line with government Covid-19 regulations.
The local community has recognised Ma’ Kelly’s Kitchen’s hard work and have been awarded two awards since their conception. The charity won Hero of the Week from Clever Energy Boilers and Volunteers of the Month from Incommunities.
Tracey said: “We want to to give a big personal thank you to everyone who has supported Ma’ Kelly’s Kitchen: Morrisons Keighley, Sainsburys Keighley, Asda Keighley Keighley College, Herd’s Butchers, Keighley Town Council, Bradford Council, Big Local, and everyone who has donated money and time to help support us.”
The charity also holds events for the community, where they recently, with the help of Robbie Moore, Conservative MP for the area, put on a 100 person tea party for elderly residents celebrating VE Day.
For the latest information on how to support Ma Kelly’s Kitchen you can visit their Facebook page here.
