Newbury Soup Kitchen Services
Newbury Soup Kitchen provides a freshly cooked and prepared hot three-course meal every Thursday, Wednesday and Saturday evening for the homeless, vulnerably housed, less fortunate and the street homeless of Newbury and West Berkshire. This is far from as simple as it sounds; the preparation and time involved to cater for nearly 150 meals each week takes a team of volunteers to pull off, but it doesn’t stop there.
Newbury Soup Kitchen strives to help people by providing a broad spectrum of healthy food provision and outreach to care for those in need in our community.
This is catered around the whole person: physically, emotionally, and socially. We spend quality time with people who need support, encouragement, and empathy which helps to improve our clients situation and future. We work to gain trust, building relationships that encourages growth in confidence and enable individuals to make better life decisions.
We fight and work hard to give vulnerable people in our society their voice.
It is very important to us that everyone is treated with respect and kindness, treated as equals, not often experienced by many in everyday society.
We love our work and are committed to striving forward to eventually opening a permanent Community Support Centre in the centre of Newbury.
Now lockdown is over we have reinstated our food sessions and outreach inside on certain days which is making a huge difference to the services we can provide. Having a place to sit and chat allows visiting clients to play a game of chess or cards, read the papers and chat to the volunteers. We aim to engage with everyone who comes through the door. Everyone is welcome, and welcome on their own terms.
We also offer a variety of support services to those in need – engaging with local authorities and associated services to assist service users where appropriate. This may involve those with housing issues, debt burdens, health concerns or dependency issues.
We have been part of a fabulous pilot scheme with the Samaritans who now come to our sessions on a Thursday. This service is providing invaluable professional support to our clients in Crisis or just need a more in-depth confidential chat. This compliments other outreach we provide.
We can also provide the opportunity for street homeless individuals to have access to laundry facilities and shower tokens from our local Leisure Centre.
All our Outreach services are free sessions and outside our food provision. COVID or not we provide a timetable throughout the week to provide necessary support to our clients in a relaxed but confidential setting, please see the link below.
https://newburysoupkitchen.org.uk/outreach-and-support-services/
What CAN We Do? Signposting and Outreach:
- Assist with PIP and UC Applications
- Assist with referrals to local authorities or other statutory
- Assist with interest in educational development.
- Assist with housing enquiries, registrations, and qualifying criteria; and
- Assist with medical referrals (including Dependency Issues & Mental Health).
What We Do Not Do ?
Whilst we look to assist as much as we can, there are of course things we cannot do, or cannot involve ourselves in. Below is a general list of things we cannot do or be involved in:
- Clearing an individuals’ debts or arrears*.
- Lending money or advising on such affairs*.
- Provide clothing, hats, gloves for re-sale (a register is maintained accordingly).
- Provide money for prescriptions or over the counter
- Provide direct assistance with dependency issues
- Provide legal advice (we occasionally have referral solicitors who can assist).
* – we encourage engagement with statutory services, and we support individuals in taking responsibility for their arrears, working with local authorities and hostels directly to remedy issues before any possible eviction is enforced.
by West Berkshire Council
