First Isle of Wight Soup event a great success

On a cold Monday evening Islanders turned out in Ryde for the first Isle of Wight Soup event and the team from Ryde Skatepark went home with their project-fund boosted by £183.50.

This event, spearheaded by Joe Redstone and hosted by Heath Monaghan at the brilliant Aspire venue on Dover Street, saw around 30 people show an interest in finding out more about the new initiative on the Island.

What’s Isle of Wight Soup?
The concept is a get-together where four ideas are presented. Everyone pays a donation on the door (£4 was suggested), listens to the ideas, then eats soup and discusses the ideas before voting for the favourite.

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The idea with the most votes gets the money collected on the door.

There were three presentations on Monday (one had to pull out at the last minute); Cassie’s Care 4 Pets Veterinary Fund, 2nd Ryde Sea Scouts and Ryde Skatepark.

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The audience were also treated to about 30 minutes of live music from Platform One student, Emma Wilkinson, who played many original numbers.

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Rubbish soup!
All groups put forward their plans for how the money would be spent and residents discussed the ideas whilst enjoying a choice of two very tasty soups made by the Aspire team.

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The vegetables for the soup came from Morrisons and Sainsbury’s, who allow the team to collect food that would usually have been thrown away. It’s literally taken from giant containers where food that’s damaged in some way or has been over-ordered is stored.

On Monday, the bread to accompany the soup was donated by Bookers. Heath told us that these donations are also used for the soup kitchen that feeds the homeless.

A great night with more to come
All in all, it was a very successful evening.

Ryde Skatepark is £183.50 better off and now able to carry out essential repairs and help raise awareness for the park, which needs to find a home within three years.

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