Breakfast Buddies is a registered charity supported by a dedicated team of three Trustees and twenty volunteers. Every weekend we come together to provide a warm welcome and a nourishing meal for anyone who chooses to join us.
With a team of this size we are able to share the responsibility fairly. It means each volunteer can contribute meaningfully while also maintaining balance with family, work, and personal commitments. This approach helps us remain consistent, reliable, and sustainable in the long term.
Our volunteers bring a wide range of skills, from preparing and serving food to organising supplies and offering conversation. Each contribution is valued, and together we create an open, friendly space where everyone feels respected and cared for. Get to know the faces behind the mission.
A vital force behind Breakfast Buddies. She is remarkably hands-on, with responsibilities ranging from spearheading fundraising and organising logistics to personally driving the charity van. Olivia’s true passion is evident in the kitchen; drawing on two years of prior experience with a soup kitchen and cooking for Maidstone Churches Winter Shelter, she ensures all 'Buddies' receive carefully planned, nutritious meals that keep them full. This commitment to quality care is affirmed by the charity's 5-star hygiene rating from the council. In her spare time, Olivia is an avid gardener and, alongside her husband, Graham, runs a very successful business.
When he’s not on the golf course, Graham can be found catching up with the Buddies. His enthusiasm and organisation led to our first Charity Golf Day, a great success that’s now become an annual tradition.
Jane works for Alcohol Change UK, overseeing the Blue Light programme working nationally to support services to be able to work effectively with people with entrenched alcohol dependency that services find difficult to engage.
She leads on projects concerned with multiple exclusion homelessness to improve practice, having published national guidance in this area. Jane also writes Safeguarding Adult Reviews, supporting agencies to learn lessons from cases where vulnerable adults have died or suffered serious harm, to identify learning that can drive change that will prevent harm occurring in future similar circumstances.
From developing the original Saturday morning concept with Olivia, to writing funding bids or chatting to our Buddies on a Saturday morning, Jane is proud to support this fantastic project.
Amanda : Volunteer
Amanda has a gift for bringing people together. Within minutes of her arriving, the Buddies are brighter, more connected. She somehow gets everyone chatting, even the quiet ones, and makes sure no one ever feels left out.
Caring comes naturally to her. She always remembers conversations, who’s had a tough week, who might need a quiet word or a bit of extra kindness. Nothing slips past her.
When there’s an emergency, Amanda is already on it, treating injuries, organising food parcels and toiletries before anyone’s even asked. She goes above and beyond for the Buddies every single time, often in ways that only those who’ve needed her help truly see.
Kind-hearted, dependable, and endlessly thoughtful.
Claire keeps everything running smoothly. She serves the hot food to order, bringing her food hygiene certificate and her naturally organised way of working to every shift. Always on the ball, she somehow manages to keep the queue moving while making sure everyone gets exactly what they want.
Generous to the core, Claire is forever turning up with extra bits for the Buddies — treats, essentials, and the kind of thoughtful touches that make a big difference behind the scenes.
Viv brings a spark to every morning. With a background working on cruise ships and being a social butterfly, she knows how to make people feel seen and looked after. She chats easily with everyone, always asking the right questions, always finding the stories behind the faces.
The Buddies are endlessly grateful for the energy, ideas and thoughtful interventions she organises, often before anyone’s even realised they’re needed. Viv has a particular fondness for handing out yoghurts and fruit — small gestures that somehow always seem to brighten the wait for hot food.
Jules has quickly become part of the heart of Breakfast Buddies, and is our coffee/tea/hot chocolate champion, keeping everyone's cup filled and the chatter flowing. With her other hat/s on - yoga expert, mindful self compassion trained teacher, and trainee counsellor she brings a warm and calming presence to our group. Which helps to foster a sense of shared humanity, a supportive and non-judgmental environment for our Breakfast Buddies community.
Sally brings both warmth and wisdom to the Breakfast Buddies team. An assistant head teacher at a local school, she somehow finds the time to volunteer with us as well as at the Winter Shelter, where her dedication and kindness are well known.
She’s one of those people everyone enjoys chatting to — full of knowledge, thoughtful advice and genuine care. Her calm energy and steady commitment make her a much-valued part of the team.
Nicola is the friendly face who takes everyone’s orders, somehow remembering every name and every preference along the way. She’s quick to check in, making sure everyone feels seen and cared for — and always keeping an eye out for any allergies or special requests. It’s the kind of quiet attention that makes a big difference, and the Buddies know they’re in safe hands with her.
She lives in Maidstone with her partner and has a daughter currently at university. During the week, Nicola works for the NHS as a Business Support Manager, but on Saturday mornings you’ll find her at Breakfast Buddies, where she loves the friendly atmosphere and the chance to really get to know everyone. She looks forward to it every week.
Paul is our geek and recycling guru - always smiling and happy to help. He is a self-employed computer systems administrator and cloud content creator. He has kindly redesigned this web site in his spare time and is always advising us on new technologies!
He loves chatting with the buddies and often collects food from the local supermarkets for our Saturday breakfast. His wife Tracey joins him too and she has fast become our chief van expert - fitting in all the tables and chairs perfectly!
In just twelve months we have managed quite a lot together. Every Saturday morning we’ve served hot food and plenty of smiles. We have bowled, picnicked, tried our hand at watersports. We received Lottery funding, support from Kent Community Foundation, and raised enough to get ourselves a van.
We now have 20 brilliant volunteers, countless generous donors, and the steady encouragement of our community. Along the way we’ve earned a good name amongst other providers too, which makes us proud.
But the heart of it all is simple. Our Buddies. The friends we’ve made, the laughter we share, and the sense of belonging that grows week by week.
Here’s to year two. Thank you for being part of it.
If you are passionate about helping others and making a positive impact, consider volunteering with Breakfast Buddies. Together, we can empower our community through breakfast.
You can donate direct to our Bank Account:-
Name: Breakfast Buddies
Sort Code: 04-06-05
Account Number: 27236742
