Trevor from the Pop-up Soup Kitchen shares this great news. Ed
Remember the old adage, if you want a job doing – do it yourself? Well it’s become apparent that there’s an increase in homelessness on the Isle of Wight and that some of the people we look after at the Soup Kitchen cannot get refuge.
I have several people out there that simply can’t get shelter anywhere else.
Emergency refuge in Ryde
To this end, The Pop Up Soup Kitchen, with help from a local church, a group of ex-Bus Shelter Volunteers and Ruth and Andy Davies (who ran the Downside Night Shelter in Newport before it closed in February 2016), have all been working hard behind the scenes to organise an emergency Refuge in Ryde.
The Refuge will be privately run and managed, and its purpose is to give some badly needed respite to the less fortunate of the Island’s community.
It’s simply a warm place to sleep with evening meal and breakfast.
No-one turned away
It will operate as the Shelter did when I was a volunteer at Downside, with the policy that no-one will be turned away until rules have been broken, and even at that point The Soup Kitchen will provide as they have for 15 months, for them wherever they choose to sleep.
There’s no agenda, we’re not “processing people” other than that to address fire, diet and safety issues.
Experienced staff
The refuge has been set up by people who have previous experience in caring and compassion for homeless and there needs.
The refuge will not be claiming, Carers Allowances for people with us, everyone involved is a Volunteer including our prospective patrons.
Elim Church
I wish to thank the Elders and Congregation of Elim Church, without whose compassion and understanding, we could not of organised this service.
Elim (Bible) Elim (Hebrew: elim) was one of the places where the Israelites camped following their Exodus from Egypt. It is referred to in Exodus 15.27 and Numbers 33.9 as a place where “there were twelve wells of water and seventy date palms,” and that the Israelites “camped there near the waters”.
Which is rater Apt!
Show your support
All Soup Kitchen projects are entirely funded purely by donations from the private sector and commerce.
Donations can be made with any card at the Website
Image: © Pop Up Soup Kitchen
