Meet Our Team

Breakfast Buddies is supported by a dedicated team of 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.

Olivia Evans - Co-Founder & Trustee

Olivia is the driving force behind Breakfast Buddies. With a background in community work, she spent nearly 2 years with a Soup Kitchen before founding Breakfast Buddies to provide meals to those in need – fulfilling a key time of day when there are no other free provisions for the homeless.

Along with her husband Graham, they support the Charity in every way.

Jane Gardiner - Co-Founder and Trustee

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 Heath - Volunteer

Hi, I’m Amanda, a project manager working in the NHS and living in Tovil. I’m a proud mum of two – one at university and the other at college. During my career, which has predominantly been in the NHS, I have also worked in a local children’s charity, and in my current role back in the NHS I continue to support projects that make a difference to those living across London, Essex and Kent.

Volunteering has always been a part of my life. I’ve helped with charity events for the children’s charity previously, organised some fundraising activities there and at my children’s primary school. Although life has been busy, I’ve been wanting to get involved with the street homeless for some time now. I’m excited to finally have the chance to give back and help make a positive impact in the community!

The Team on our First Birthday

Join Our Team

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.

Become a Volunteer