Charity fundraisers have given valuable support to a community initiative that provides free meals to people in need in Axminster.

On behalf of the Rotary Club of Axminster, Peter Creek presented a pressure cooker to Karen Taylor, founder of the Nourish organisation.

Karen set up Nourish in 2019 and was already up and running when Covid struck. Since then her efforts, using kitchens at the Guildhall, have been widely appreciated in the community.

Karen’s meals are cooked from scratch and frozen for people to re-heat at home.

She cooks pasta dishes, curries, stews, soups and, occasionally, puddings for families large or small and single people living on their own. These range from meat, vegetarian to vegan, and she takes great care with food allergies and those with special dietary requirements. Every meal has a minimum of two vegetables, not including onions or potatoes.

Axminster Rotarians said they were pleased to support her with equipment that will help increase Nourish’s catering capacity.

Karen started Nourish from her own experience of hardship and believes that having a meal you don’t have to cook for yourself makes you feel cared for, hence the name ‘Nourish’.

Because of a change in her own circumstances she has traversed the benefit system and faced austerity so she knows what its like from the ground up and will welcome everyone without any judgement.

Karen likes to give a personal friendly service with continuity making sure everyone is alright.

She knows many people in Axminster must be facing hardship during these unusual times and urges people to come forward for help.

Nourish is an ‘as well as’ service and there is no referral needed.

Karen believes its hard enough for someone to ask for help.