Food and Kindness

Oxford hospice Sobell House is a special place and Food and Kindness is a special kind of cook book. Published to raise both awareness and funds for the charity, it's also about generating awareness of some of the local restaurants that have supported Sobell House over the years, that have been badly affected by the coronavirus pandemic.A collection of over 30 stories and recipes from a wide range of celebrities and local chefs, it features a number of well-loved faces who have Sobell House close to their heart. Among those are Mary Berry, who features her Very Best Chocolate Cake, Stephen Fry who shares his hummus recipe, as well as Mel Giedroyc, Sue Perkins and star of BBC 3 mockumentary This Country, Paul Chahidi, who is an ambassador for Sobell and proudly showcases his Mediterranean pork, lemon and parmesan meatballs. As well as these famous supporters, plenty of Oxfordshire eateries are also involved with the book, giving readers the chance to make their best loved dishes as well as discover the stories behind each business. Among those to feature are The Cherwell Boathouse (breaded halloumi with sweetcorn fritters), No 1 Ship Street (French Onion Soup) and Bhoomi Kitchen (Keralan fried chicken).It's all about bringing the local community together to celebrate the inspiring work and ethis of Sobell House.About Sobell HouseSince 1976 Sobell House has been caring for people at the end of their lives and supporting their families. The hospice is jointly funded by the Oxford University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Sobell House Hospice Charity. They offer specialist end of life care to those facing life threatening illness, death and bereavement in Oxfordshire. This encompasses physical, psychological, social and spiritual care. They believe that every adult should be able to die with dignity and without pain. "If it wasn't for Sobell House I'm not sure how I could have ever coped. They are the most lovely, selfless people who put the lives of others as priority, working long, hard hours but always maintaining a high standard of care and love. I will always be forever grateful to everyone at Sobell and hope this great place will continue to care for many years to come." Yazmine's experience of the care of her mother Gina.