TRIBUTES have been paid to a “true legend” who led an initiative to help families cook healthy and affordable meals.

Former teacher, designer and restaurateur Tony Gibbons, who was best known as the founder of the Friendly Food Club, died recently. 

His death at 82 was unexpected and a shock to all who knew him.

Mr Gibbons, who lived in Drimpton, near Beaminster, and was a former governor at Beaminster School, set up the Friendly Food Club to improve the confidence and diet of struggling families through fun and free cookery workshops in local community centres.

He began to run weekly cooking workshops to encourage families to cook together whilst learning about nutrition and having fun at the same time. 

His ambition was to encourage children to persuade their parents to shop smart and to embrace a healthier lifestyle.

Whilst the Friendly Food Club initiative originally started in Bridport, it soon extended to other areas including Weymouth, Bournemouth and Swanage.

Mr Gibbons was known across many voluntary organisations in Dorset and in 2020 was given a National Lottery Award for Education for his Cookbox deliveries to over 4,500 households during the coronavirus pandemic.

Sally Brown, a Friendly Food Club team member who worked closely with him for many years, said: “Tony was a true legend – our boss, our mentor, our hero and our friend.

“He was passionate and inspirational in the Friendly Food Club’s vision to make a difference to people’s lives, relentless in his pursuit of funding in order to achieve this and genuinely happy to see people enjoying cooking and eating together in our workshops. His food-crusading legacy lives on through the Friendly Food Club.”
 

Bridport and Lyme Regis News:

Pre-Covid, the organisation provided holiday workshops for Pupil Premium families where people came together to cook and eat a free lunch and talk to each other.

Since the pandemic, the team provided Cookboxes with the ingredients, recipes, and a ‘how to do it’ video encouraging families to cook together in their own kitchen and post the results on social media, building a Cookbox community spanning different vulnerable communities across the conurbation.

Those who knew Mr Gibbons said his passion and drive to help those less fortunate and bring people together through food and cooking was endless and selfless.

The Friendly Food Club team has vowed to carry on his work to ensure that his legacy will live on.

His funeral was held on Friday, March 18. Donations can be made to the Friendly Food Club via gofund.me/db6b212a.