LOCAL volunteers have set a new Guinness World Record by producing 79,500 meals for charity in 24 hours.

Somerset County Cricket Club hosted the ‘Big Cook Challenge’ on Wednesday (October 23) with the aim of cooking 60,000 meals for charity in a day.

Led by the initiative of a year-13 Wellington School student, Dulcie Harding, 101 Wellington students, staff and family members took part in the ‘Big Cook Challenge’ to set the new world record.

Members of the Wellington School community both students and staff to pack over 60,000 meals for people in need
Members of the Wellington School community both students and staff to pack over 79,500 meals for people in need (Photo: Alain Lockyer)
Wellington School students working hard to package 60,000 meals in 24 hours
Wellington School students working hard to package 79,500 meals in 24 hours (Photo: Wellington School)

Dulcie said: “I really enjoy being able to make a difference for people and this is a fantastic cause that looks after the local community.”

The school’s Chaplain, Charlotte said: “Dulcie’s been brilliant. She pushed really hard for this to happen and is always asking what more we can do.

“It’s been really exciting and a great chance to see students from Wellington getting really stuck in over their half term.”

 The ‘Big Cook Challenge’ is a project put together by ethical catering company Thomas Franks, food redistribution charity City Harvest and the Somerset County Cricket Club.

The groups aimed to cook over 60,000 meals for 16 local charities, including Taunton Food Bank and Love Somerset, to set a new world record for the most ready meals prepared in 24 hours.

Wellington School students, staff and family members working hard to package 60,000 meals in 24 hours
(Photo: Alain Lockyer)
Wellington School students, staff and family members working hard to package 60,000 meals in 24 hours
(Photo: Alain Lockyer)
Wellington School students, staff and family members working hard to package 60,000 meals in 24 hours
(Photo: Alain Lockyer)

More than 400 volunteers from Thomas Franks, City Harvest, the cricket club and local schools, took part to help those in need and to raise awareness of food waste, working in shifts from 12am until midnight on Wednesday.

By midday the volunteers had packaged their 30,000th vegetarian meal, made using some of the 30 tonnes of edible surplus food sourced from supermarkets and restaurants. 

Volunteers from Thomas Franks, Somerset County Cricket Club and City Harvest package meals for those in need
Volunteers from Thomas Franks, Somerset County Cricket Club and City Harvest package meals for those in need (Photo: Alain Lockyer)
Volunteers from Thomas Franks, Somerset County Cricket Club and City Harvest package meals for those in need
(Photo: Alain Lockyer)
Volunteers from Thomas Franks, Somerset County Cricket Club and City Harvest package meals for those in need
(Photo: Alain Lockyer)
Volunteers cooking 60,000 meals for those in need for the 'Big Cook Challenge'
Volunteers cooking 79,500 meals for those in need for the 'Big Cook Challenge' (Photo: Alain Lockyer)

Raj Singh, director of charity at Thomas Franks, said: “It’s truly a team effort and, together, we hope to demonstrate how organisations can work together to create a more sustainable and compassionate future.”