Mitch - Session Volunteer

I recently started volunteering at the Newbury Soup Kitchen, and it’s been a really meaningful addition to my week. I joined because I had some free time and wanted to use it doing something useful rather than letting it go to waste. It’s easy to overlook how much small contributions matter but being there has shown me how much of a difference even a few hours can make. What I didn’t expect was how much I’d get out of it in return. 

 

Since moving to Newbury, I didn’t know many people locally, so it’s been a good way to meet people, from volunteers to the people who we support. Everyone has their own story, and you quickly realise how varied people’s paths are. It really puts things into perspective. The focus, though, is always on the people being helped. It’s about providing something steady and welcoming, whether that’s a meal, a conversation, or just a bit of normality for someone who might not have much of it elsewhere. It’s nothing complicated, just showing up, helping out, and being part of something that matters. And right now, that feels like a pretty good use of time.