MAGGIE PAVLOU Trustee and a volunteer at The People's Kitchen, Newcastle
The People’s Kitchen supports hundreds of “Friends” across the city every day. Volunteers have supported people in Newcastle for more than 35 years serving up to 200 meals per service, cooking everything from scratch. The charity is run entirely by volunteers, no government funding is received, and absolutely no one is paid for their work. Here Maggie tells us how she spends her weekends.
Do you ever have to work weekends?
I spent the first 15 years of my career working every weekend and most bank holidays so now I try and protect them as much as possible.
Are most weekends the same?
No really varied, I love gardening, family time, eating out, concerts, seeing friends – we have a small holiday place in Bamburgh, so I get to spend lots of lovely time up there in the fresh air, walking along the gorgeous beaches. I also have a renewed love of running so like to pop my trainers on and get some miles in whenever I can.
Do you find it hard to switch off?
I used to find that my Sunday afternoons and evenings were spent prepping for the week ahead – I’ve managed to switch that around now and am quite strict about finishing my working week on a Friday and not looking at anything again until Monday.
What do you do on a weekend which you can’t fit in through the week?
Gardening mainly, and a longish run if I’m in training for a race or event.
Morning exercise or recovery lie in ?
I do love a lie in (a trait I inherited from my Mam) but equally I enjoy the smug feeling of satisfaction afterwards if I manage to drag my carcass out for a run at the start of the day.
Prefer a big night out or a night in the house?
I very much enjoy a night out, although you can’t really beat an afternoon into early evening event, it just takes me longer to recover these days, I’m a huge fan of The Stand and like to go as often as I can to watch live comedy, it’s just such a great escape. Also, I very much enjoy live music and will go to listen to pretty much anything whenever I get the opportunity. I also enjoy hosting so am already looking forward to the BBQ season – fingers crossed we have some decent weather, and we get to see more of our friends and family this year.
Do you watch sport at the weekend?
Not really, although I’m a NUFC fan at heart.
Where do you like to eat out at the weekend?
I do love a Sunday lunch, however now that the boys are all up and away, we tend to go out more than eat in. This year we decided to challenge ourselves to eat somewhere different every other week and so I’m currently working my way through a list of random places and am enjoying giving each one a FAVS rating (Food/Ambience/ Value/Service) on Insta. I really enjoy all the new restaurants in town but the pub over the road, The Lambton Worm, does cracking food so I can often be found in there.
How important is the weekend to you?
Weekends for me are a time to recharge, relax and really cherish – I love them.
On a weekend you’ll usually find me most happy…
Very scruffy and either up to my eyes in mud and soil in the garden or walking along the coastline in Bamburgh. For more information about The People’s Kitchen or to donate www.peopleskitchen. co.uk/donate/
