I’m very pleased to announce that our launch at Manor Oak House, from 2pm on Wednesday 4th September, will be attended by actor and playwright Ray Castleton!
A former carpet-fitter, Ray graduated in performing arts in 2011, at the age of 63. He was a founder member and co-director of The Melting Shop Theatre Company from 2014 to 2018, but now runs his own independent company Hand On The Tap.
He appeared on Emmerdale as well as on stage and in movies. His Sheffield-centric plays include food bank drama Chicken Soup, On Behalf of the People, Striking Dilemmas and Orgreave-recalling monologue Without Malice or Ill Will, which he also performed.
I’m delighted and honoured that Ray — a superb writer and lovely chap — has offered to join us as we launch a very worthy project, whose beneficiaries will hopefully include ex-miners, ex-steelworkers and their families.
So far, after many phone calls and meetings, the following organisations have shown some interest in referring people into Bags of Taste:
- Citizens’ Advice
- JobCentre/DWP
- Sheffield Futures
- Sheffield Credit Union
- Sheffield Mencap
- Sheffield Mind
- South Yorkshire Housing Association
- SOAR
- Baitul Afiyat mosque
- Sheffield City Council
- S2 Food Bank
If you can think of any potential partners who might refer participants into the scheme — particularly organisations which work with deprived or vulnerable people — please get in touch!
If you’d like to lend a hand at the launch event (setting up, doing some cooking and packing down) — and have a chance to meet a fascinating man (Ray, not me) — then please let me know through our volunteers’ Facebook group.
Bags of Taste Sheffield 