Pub dishes up dinners for Cornwall primary school that can't find a cook
A pub in Cornwall has stepped in to help a primary school that is "desperate" for a cook after receiving no applications for the job.
Matthew Osborne, who is the chef at Commercial Pub, heard St Just Primary School was struggling to find a cook so decided to help out his community.
Matthew said: "I just felt like offering our services to see whether or not it was possible that we could actually help the school out. That was the pure thought of it really.
"There wasn't anything behind it other than we know they're struggling to find someone to come in and take over the role of chef or cook.
"We have the experience of doing it, so it was just to help out."
In fact, the previous cook at the primary school in St Just was Matthew's wife Kelly. But she handed in her notice just before Christmas after finding employment elsewhere.
Finding Kelly's replacement has been "impossible", according to the school's acting head teacher Andy Bowman.
Out of 180 pupils, the minimum number of children the canteen caters for is around 125, rising to 150 on a Friday.
Andy said: "It's knowing the children. It's caring for the children. But it's also the extras, like when we have parents' evening or camp. It's far more than that [feeding the children] and that's what we are losing."
Despite the difficulties the school is facing, Andy said seeing the community pull together has been "inspirational".
He explained: "I'm only acting head, so you get all these problems thrown at you and it's a bit depressing, but then you see the brilliant way people respond and pitch in.
"Not having Kelly in the kitchen has also meant other people have had to go work in the kitchen.
"The fact that you see we are part of something bigger, we are not just individuals, we are part of a community, is inspirational.
If the school does not find a replacement soon, Andy fears he will be forced to go down the route of contacting an organisation that caters for schools - but fears this will result in the nutritional value dropping.
If you have experience running a kitchen, St Just Primary School would love you to get in touch.
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