Winton Salvation Army offers free meals to support families

No-cost meals, no strings attached – just community, compassion, and a full plate. 

For many families in Winton, summer can mean tighter budgets and tougher choices. But this August, The Salvation Army is turning its community café into a place where no one must choose between feeding their kids and paying the bills – because every Wednesday, the meals are completely free. 

Thanks to a generous grant from The Count Zolton Rosco Maria Van Rosenthal Charitable Trust, the Latimer Road Community Centre Café is hosting a series of no-questions-asked free meal events throughout August. From “Wrap of the Day” giveaways to full community BBQs, the initiative ensures families can enjoy a hot meal without worry. 

Tina Shave, the Winton Salvation Army Community Centre Manager said there’s no catch, no criteria – just good food and a warm welcome.

Tina said: “We want to offer something to our local community that enhances all aspects of life.  Many people need a safe, friendly place to be where they know they will find friendship.  Winton Salvation Army aims to be the place for everyone to come and feel like they belong.  We are more than a Charity Shop and a Café – we are a community that eat, shop, laugh and cry together.  The summer can be a really challenging time for many people and we are offering this programme to ease the pressure along with the chance to come and make new friends with those who live in this community.”

The dates for the free summer meals are: 

- Wed 6 Aug (2–6pm): “Free Food – Just Because We Can!” – Choose any item from the café’s set menu. 

- Wed 13 Aug (4–6pm): Community BBQ – Burgers, hot dogs, and summer smiles. 

- Wed 20 Aug (3–6pm): Café Taster Sessions – Sample the menu’s highlights. 

- Wed 27 Aug (4–6pm): “It’s a Wrap!” – Free wrap of the day for every visitor. 

Location: Salvation Army Community Centre Café, 1 Latimer Road, Winton (access via the charity shop). Free Wi-Fi available. 

The free summer meals at Winton reflect The Salvation Army’s Christian ethos of service and its focus on tackling poverty holistically. By removing barriers like cost and paperwork, the charity aims to reduce isolation and strengthen community ties – one meal at a time – meeting needs and building hope. 

More than a third (35%) parents plan to skip meals so their children can go to holiday clubs, according to a new survey by The Salvation Army.* 

The snapshot survey also found of those parents asked:

• 36% cannot afford to pay for childcare over summer.
• 36% said they can’t afford to take time off to care for their children during the summer break
• 30% will not be able to afford to take their children on any sort of holiday.

Extra support laid on by Salvation Army churches and community centres, known as Corps, in the summer helps feed children who relied on school dinners for their only proper meal of the day. 

The Salvation Army in Winton supports the community through diverse, practical initiatives tailored to local needs. They provide hot meals on Monday evenings, distribute emergency food parcels, and offer essentials like clothes and sleeping bags to the homeless, emphasizing dignity through services like foot care. Additionally, their community centre hosts events like the Caribbean-themed "Holiday at Home" for over 60s and a club for young people, fostering friendship and support. The Café is open late twice a week for low-cost meals aimed at families and students. 

For more information about The Salvation Army’s work in Winton or to find out how you can support their efforts, visit Winton | The Salvation Army.

 * Fieldwork conducted from an online panel by nfpResearch as part of the nfpPublic UK research programme in May 2025. Base size is 299 parents with children under 18 at home from a nationally representative sample of 1,000