The Table: Feeding the Homeless through a Pandemic

The Table, a community group helping those in need. Gravesend, Kent.

Tony and Vicki Harris have been on a journey that would change their lives, seeing Tony giving away all their money and most of his clothes. It led them to start a group that would feed up to 50 people six nights a week during the height of the pandemic.

“I was working on a good wage, and I said, I’m going to stand in town and give everything away...”

It was Vicki Harris’ birthday in 2019; she and her husband, Tony, drove into Gravesend. Tony was looking for Vlad, a Russian he’d met who was sleeping rough in the town. Tony had promised Vicki he wouldn’t invite Vlad back to their house until they knew more about him. But when he found Vlad, he wasn’t looking good. Tony said: “I just wanted to give him some comfort.” Knowing Tony as I do now, I already know how this story is going to end. 

August 2021, Gravesend: Before the Coronavirus pandemic, visitors could sit at The Table and eat together; now, they either have to eat the food in the street while it’s hot or take it home.

Vlad and Tony talked for a while when Vlad rolled onto one side and said, “I just wish I could get some comfort.” Those eight words triggered the moment that was to change their lives. Vlad wouldn’t be the last homeless person to stay with the Harrises.

Prompted by his meeting with Vlad, Tony started “The Table”. He and his son would set up a table and chairs in the town centre and serve what he described as a “picnic for the homeless.” In reality, anyone was welcome. Twice a week, visitors to “The Table” would sit and eat together; a community developed.

Vicki Harris sits on the floor packing food bags. The food is donated and cooked by local volunteers.

Gravesham is not a wealthy place, but it’s far from the poorest. The UK Government publishes an “Index of Deprivation”, ranking all the boroughs in England on a range of measures. Like many boroughs, it has some areas more affluent than others. But as a whole, it sits somewhere in the top third - number one being the most deprived. 

Meopham takeaway Stone Willy’s Pizza regularly gives food to the group.

Tony will take no credit for any of the incredible work “The Table” has achieved. He’s said more than once: “It’s not like I’ve done anything. I was here, and the people came to me.” He has a strength of faith like no one I’ve met. In his eyes, he was purely doing what God had told him to do.

When I ask him about groups that won’t serve people under the influence of drink or drugs, he has no hesitation: “To me, the way I look at it, if I’m going out to help people who are on drugs and drink, I’ve got to expect them to have taken drugs and drink. Nobody is excluded. It doesn’t matter what state you’re in. Jesus didn’t say, ‘sort yourself out, and you can come in.’ That’s what I tried to do differently.”

As well as food “The Table” provides donated clothing to those who need it.

The first few weeks after starting “The Table” were difficult for Tony and Vicki. Tony lost his job and with it went their main source of income. They admit it’s caused a few arguments. Tony says: “I was working on a good wage, and I said, I’m going to stand in town and give everything away. I gave all my clothes away to start with.” All the clothes he’s wearing as we talk have been donated. “If someone needed trousers and I had three pairs, I’d give them a pair. I gave my trainers away, everything. Even my underwear is donated.” He smiles.

Vicki says: “At first, I thought he was mad. It was good he was helping people, but he was giving our money away. I said to him, ‘It’s not like you’re getting any younger; you need to slow down. You need to put your own health before this.”

Vicki Harris starts to load the van at the end of another long evening.

The Table often reached the point where they had only enough food for the next meal, yet something always seemed to come along and save the day. After living hand to mouth for a while, Tony established a small rota of volunteers who would cook for “The Table”. They would set up on a Monday and Friday evening, things settled into a groove for a while, then along came Covid, and everything changed.

The local authority invited groups providing services to the homeless to a meeting. All the groups reported that their volunteers had dropped away, citing understandable concerns over the virus. However, offers to cook for “The Table” had mushroomed over the same time. Tony and Vicki found themselves one of the few services remaining in the town for those in the most need.  

They decided it wouldn’t be safe eating together, even outdoors, so they switched to a takeaway service. A local Sikh charity provided food one night a week, but that still left “The Table” with six nights to fill. Tony arranged a group of twelve volunteer cooks providing meals on a rota six nights per week. Their home gradually filled with supplies; there were five freezers in their spare bedroom and food stacked around the house. Tony describes it as an exhausting whirlwind ride; you can see it still tells on both of them.

Tony Harris founder of the group packing away The Table.

In addition to the food, “The Table” has helped with furniture for rough sleepers being rehomed. The couple has put their lives on hold for the last two years, even delaying medical treatment. Fortunately, things have calmed down a lot. “The Table” now offers a takeaway service on Monday nights only while they regroup and catch up with life. 

The long-term ambition is to open a drop-in centre in the town—somewhere anyone can call in, meet others, share a cup of tea, and get that ‘little bit of comfort’ we all need at times.

You can contact The Table through their Facebook page.

You can see a gallery of images here.