Free hot food in [town]
Every [Tuesday] and [Friday] evening.
[5:30 to 7:30pm] at [venue name, street]. Meals come in takeaway boxes, so you can eat wherever you like.
No tokens. Just come.
What happens when you come
Come to [the side door of the venue] any time between [5:30 and 7:30pm]. You don’t need to book.
One of us will hand you a hot meal in a takeaway box. We won’t ask your name or why you’re there.
Take it with you. Eat it outside, take it back to where you’re staying, or keep it for later.
About us
“I shall not seek glory, nor claim honour for the work of my hands.”
Ordo Vigilum is Latin for the Order of the Watchers. We’re a Christian charity, and we cook and give out food to people who are sleeping rough or struggling to eat.
We keep it quiet on purpose. We don’t take photos at the door, we don’t post about the people we meet, and nobody will preach at you. You don’t have to share our faith, or have any faith, to come and eat.
Everything we do is held to six promises. Read Our Rule.
Need more than food?
We only cook, but we can point you to people who can help with somewhere to sleep, health, money and staying safe.
Want to cook, pack or serve with us? Volunteer.
Events
Everything we run is free. You don’t need to book or bring anything.
Every week
Free hot food
Hot meals in takeaway boxes for anyone sleeping rough or going without. No vouchers, no referral, no forms and no ID.
| Day | Time | Where |
|---|---|---|
| [Tuesday] | [5:30 to 7:30pm] | [Venue name, street, town] |
| [Friday] | [5:30 to 7:30pm] | [Venue name, street, town] |
No tokens. Just come.
Get directionsGood to know
Getting in: [Step-free access through the side door / There are two steps at the entrance.]
Food: [There is always a vegetarian option. Tell us if you can’t eat something and we’ll do what we can.]
Dogs: [Dogs are welcome. We usually have water and a few tins of dog food.]
On your own: You can collect a box for someone who can’t make it. Just ask.
Changes and closures
[Nothing has changed. If we ever close for a holiday or add an extra night, it will be listed here.]
Worried about someone sleeping rough?
In England and Wales you can tell StreetLink where someone is sleeping, and local outreach workers will try to find them.
If someone is in danger or needs urgent medical help, call 999.
Get help
We only give out food, but these people can help with the rest. Most of these numbers are free to call. Numbers starting 0300 cost the same as a normal call and are usually included in mobile minutes.
In danger right now?
Call 999. If you can’t speak, call 999 from a mobile, then press 55 when asked.
Somewhere to sleep tonight
- [Council name] housing options [phone number]Out of hours: [out-of-hours number]. The council has a duty to help if you’re homeless or about to be.
- [Local night shelter name][Address, opening times and how to get a place.]
- Shelter helpline 0808 800 4444Free housing advice. Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm. They can’t give you a room, but they can tell you your rights. In Wales, try Shelter Cymru. In Scotland, Shelter Scotland.
Your mind
- Samaritans 116 123Free, any time of day or night. You don’t have to be suicidal to call.
- Shout Text SHOUT to 85258Free text support, any time. Good if you can’t talk out loud.
- NHS 111, option 2 111, then press 2Urgent mental health help from NHS staff in England, any time.
- CALM 0800 58 58 58Free, 5pm to midnight every day. Set up for men, open to anyone.
- Mind Infoline 0300 123 3393Information about mental health and where to get help.
Abuse and violence
- For women
- National Domestic Abuse Helpline (Refuge) 0808 2000 247Free, any time. Help to stay safe, and to find emergency accommodation in a refuge.
- For men
- Men’s Advice Line (Respect) 0808 801 0327For men being abused by a partner or ex-partner. Weekdays; check their website for times.
- Safeline male survivors line 0808 800 5005For men and boys affected by rape or sexual abuse.
- For everyone
- Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line 0808 500 2222Run by Rape Crisis. Free, any time, for anyone 16 or over in England and Wales, whenever it happened.
- Galop 0800 999 5428For LGBT+ people facing domestic abuse, sexual violence or hate crime. Weekdays.
- Victim Support 0808 1689 111Free, any time, for anyone affected by crime, whether or not it was reported.
If you’re in danger, call 999. If you can’t speak, call 999 from a mobile, then press 55.
Veterans
- Veterans’ Gateway 0808 802 1212The first place to start. Free, any time, or text 81212. Help with housing, money, health and work.
- Combat Stress 0800 138 1619Mental health help for veterans and their families. Free, any time.
- SSAFA Forcesline 0800 260 6767Practical, money and emotional help for veterans and families. Weekdays.
- Royal British Legion 0808 802 8080Help for veterans and their families, including money and housing.
Drink, drugs and gambling
- FRANK 0300 123 6600Honest information about drugs. Free, any time, or text 82111.
- Drinkline 0300 123 1110Free, confidential help if you’re worried about your drinking or someone else’s.
- National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133Run by GamCare. Free, any time.
Health
- NHS 111 111Urgent medical help that isn’t an emergency. Free, any time.
- Seeing a GPYou don’t need a fixed address or ID to register with a GP surgery. If one turns you away, ask [local health contact] for help.
Daytime support
- [Local day centre name][Address and opening times. Showers, laundry, a post address, advice: list what they offer.]
Helping someone else
- StreetLink streetlink.org.ukTell them where someone is sleeping rough in England or Wales, so outreach workers can find them.
Numbers checked October 2026. If anything here is wrong, please email info@orderofthewatchers.org.uk.
Our Rule
Every member of the Order makes the same six promises. We publish them so that anyone can hold us to them.
We do not seek credit.
We don’t photograph the people we serve, we don’t post about them, and we don’t put our own names to the work. If we have done something good, it doesn’t need an audience.
We notice.
We try to see the people others walk past, to learn their names if they want to share them, and to remember them.
We ask nothing in return.
No tokens, no forms, no questions and no conditions. Food is not a reward for good behaviour, and it is never a way to recruit anyone to our faith.
We keep what is entrusted to us.
What someone tells us stays with us. The only exception is when keeping quiet would put that person, or someone else, in danger. Then we will act, and we will tell them first if we can.
Faith is no excuse.
Being a Christian charity doesn’t put us above the law or above criticism. If we get something wrong, we will say so and put it right.
We answer for ourselves.
Anyone can raise a concern about any of us, including the people who lead the Order, and it will be looked into properly. How to raise a concern.
“I shall not seek glory, nor claim honour for the work of my hands. I shall observe where others turn away, remember what others forget, and preserve that which has been entrusted to me.
My loyalty shall be to God, my conscience, and the sacred charge of this Order. I shall not betray my brethren, nor confuse secrecy with righteousness.
For the Cross is our covenant, vigilance our duty, and truth our burden.”
Volunteer
We need people to cook, pack takeaway boxes and hand out food. You don’t need experience, just reliability and a bit of patience.
Before you start
[Volunteers who serve on the night need a basic DBS check, which we arrange and pay for.]
[Cooks need a Level 2 food hygiene certificate. We can help you get one.]
Every volunteer agrees to Our Rule, including not taking photos and not sharing anything about the people we serve.
Sign up
What we need this week
- [Takeaway boxes with lids]
- [Rice and pasta]
- [Tinned tomatoes]
- [Wooden cutlery]
Drop off at [address] on [days and times]. Please check dates on food, as we can’t use anything past its use-by date.
Give money
[Add your donation link here, or remove this section.]
Thank you.
We’ve got your details and we’ll be in touch. Back to the home page.
Safeguarding
Many of the people we serve are vulnerable. Keeping them safe matters more than anything else we do.
Our commitments
- Every volunteer who serves on the night has [a DBS check] and safeguarding training before they start.
- Volunteers never take photos, never share personal details of the people we serve, and never give out their own phone number or social media.
- Volunteers are never left alone with someone in a closed room.
- If we believe someone is at risk of harm, we will pass on our concern to the right people, even if it means breaking a confidence. We will tell the person first if it is safe to do so.
Raising a concern
If you are worried about anyone we serve, or about the behaviour of anyone in the Order, contact our safeguarding lead, [name], at [safeguarding email] or [phone]. You can raise a concern about any member, including our leaders.
If you think a child or adult is in immediate danger, call 999 first.
You can also contact [your council’s adult or children’s safeguarding team] directly, or the Charity Commission if you have concerns about how we are run.
This page summarises our safeguarding policy. [Link to the full policy.] Last reviewed [month year].
Privacy notice
We collect as little as we can.
People who come for food
We don’t ask for your name or any details, and we don’t keep a record of who comes.
Volunteers and people who contact us
If you sign up to volunteer or email us, we keep your name, contact details and anything you tell us. We use them only to arrange volunteering and reply to you. [DBS check results are handled as the law requires and not kept longer than necessary.]
We keep volunteer details for [12 months] after you stop volunteering, then delete them. We never sell or share your details for marketing.
[Our website and sign-up form are hosted by Netlify, which processes form entries on our behalf.]
Your rights
You can ask to see, correct or delete the information we hold about you by emailing info@orderofthewatchers.org.uk. If you’re unhappy with how we’ve handled your data, you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office.
Who we are
Ordo Vigilum, the Order of the Watchers. Registered charity no. [NUMBER]. [Registered address.]
Last updated [month year].