We are overwhelmed with the generosity of the public and community this year. It's only the beginning of December and we are bursting at the seams with donations. At last Thursday's session, there were as many people from the public as there were clients welcomed into the Soup Kitchen, each member of the public with a donation. Everyone here at the Soup Kitchen wish to thank each and every benefactor for their continued support, but we have to ask that we place a pause on some donations for the foreseeable future.
Due to the massive contribution of tents and sleeping bags collected from the Reading Festival Cleanup, we have a surplus of these items. We are pressed for space at our storage facilities and have boxes full of nearly new items of clothing too, including footwear, blankets and sanitary wear.
From 12th November 2018, the Newbury Soup Kitchen is division of the Haven (West Berkshire) homeless charity. It is a voluntary organisation providing help and support to the Newbury homeless, rough sleeper community and those less fortunate than others. The primary operation is a friendly drop-in centre for vulnerable adults who perhaps have mental health issues or are just lonely. All are greeted with hot food and drinks every Thursday evening. A warm welcome awaits people who wish to socialise, find support, enjoy a hot meal and interact with like-minded people.
I conceived the idea of the Newbury Soup Kitchen in November 2016 while working for the Newbury Food Bank at the Salvation Army hall. It came to my attention that the Loose Ends drop-in centre did not open on a Thursday, therefore there was a need for an additional resources for the homeless
I met Meryl whilst volunteering at the Foodbank in Newbury. Little did I know then what a dynamic and inspirational person she was. She came up with the idea of the Soup Kitchen, asked if I would like to be involved and as they say the rest is history.
I moved to England from Denmark in August 2017 and had decided that I wanted to do some volunteering to get to know people. I have worked in Denmark within mental health and substance abuse and wanted to put my experience to good use. I came across Meryl and the work she was doing with the other volunteers.
We took a pop up tent and accessories that a rough sleeper would use. We encouraged the children to ask questions and they asked some great ones. For instance “What do people do all the time if they are bored?” and “Do rough sleepers sleep well in a tent, do they have trouble sleeping?”
The Newbury Soup Kitchen has become a division of HAVEN (West Berkshire) homeless charity. Benefactors, clients and followers will see subtle changes over the coming weeks, including name change and identity, but should be rest assured that the services offered, ethos and people behind the Soup Kitchen will not change. Indeed, some of the Soup Kitchen volunteers now reside as Trustees within HAVEN.
Head torches that can be recharged by winding can be beneficial to rough sleepers when batteries or electricity cannot be found during these shorter daylight hours.
Two Saints are asking for volunteers to support the SWEP Extended Winter Provision ‘night shelter’ provision that they are providing. If you feel you can support Two Saints and help rough sleepers during the coming winter months, please contact Matthew Cobbett in the first instance.
London has a total of 964 people sleeping rough, an increase of 3% from the 2015 figure of 940. There were significant increases in rough sleeping in East England (44%) and in the North West (42%). In 2016, London accounted for 23% of the total number of rough sleepers, compared to 26% in 2015. The South East continues to account for a high percentage of the total number of people sleeping rough (23%).
Westminster remains the local authority with the highest number of rough sleepers, a total of 260 people compared to 2015 figure of 265. Bristol is the only other local authority in the top 10 to report a reduction in the number of rough sleepers (-23). Birmingham and Redbridge are in the top 10 in 2016 but were not in the top ten in 2015.
The Newbury Soup Kitchen is division of the Haven (West Berkshire) homeless charity. Charity Number 1179298.
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