Out & About Winter 2018

Out&About feature

latest recruits – Courtney Sheehan and Chandrika Chauhan. Chandrika is holding out a tray of pasties, accompanied by a comprehensive chart detailing the different flavours. It’s Chandrika’s first evening at the soup kitchen and she and I look on with admiration at the sense of companionship and infectious camaraderie spreading across the room. Courtney is from Canada and has been living in Newbury for a year. She started volunteering at the soup kitchen as a way of becoming more involved with the community and to meet new people. “I’ve only been here once before – I started last week – but when I walked in tonight, a few people remembered my name. I’m loving it. You get a real feelgood factor from it.” I sidle over to the kitchen, peep my head through the door and find the woman whose birthday it is. Head chef at the soup kitchen Jan is a long-time friend of Meryl and volunteered with her at the food bank, pre-soup kitchen era. Unlike most of the volunteers who wear name badges, Jan has embroidered hers onto her tabard – a telling sign that she plays an integral role in the soup kitchen. Her bouncy personality shines through the ‘cheap and cheerful’ dishes she rustles up for these modest evening banquets – the head count for which she currently estimates stands at around 50-60 each week. “It’s mostly comfort food, but it depends what comes and what people give us,” said Jan, a retired nurse. “Wednesdays and Thursdays are write-offs for me [because of the food prep] – it’s full on, but I enjoy it. It’s a real community, we know them all. “I’m sort of the one who has the banter with them – in the kitchen, there’s a lot of laughing, a lot of joking with the clients. I think they’re very appreciative.” And Jan is too. Since relocating to Bucklebury from Lower Basildon four years ago, the network of friends she has made through her work at the kitchen has been nothing short of remarkable. “I never used to know anybody in Newbury,” she said. “Now, I walk through the town and I see all this lot, they ask me what I’m cooking – they do give back as well.” As I turn to go, she caught my eye lingering over the huge crate of bananas. “I’ve already frozen some of them,” she sighed. “Trouble is – the freezer’s packed with other stuff.” She delves into the box and thrusts two well-ripened bunches into my arms. “Here – you could make so much banana bread with these.” It was late when I arrived home, but energized by the extreme outpouring of compassion, human appreciation and community spirit I had witnessed that evening, I set to work. Spilling flour over me as I baked banana bread, part of me wished I had a tabard.

Donations always welcome

West Berkshire Homeless Tel: 07799 492235 www.westberkshirehomeless.co.uk Newbury Soup Kitchen at the Salvation Army 8 Northcroft Lane, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 1BU Tel: 01635 552796 www.newburysoupkitchen.org.uk Loose Ends Contact: Morton Hall, Newbury Baptist Church, Cheap Street, Newbury, RG14 5DD Tel: 07444 324 686 Email: admin@looseendsnewbury.org Eight Bells for Mental Health, Friends Meeting House On November 1, West Berkshire Council activated its Severe Weather Emergency Protocol to help rough sleepers as the temperature drops. These organisations are all working in collaboration with the council these items please contact them to arrange a drop off or pop into the Soup Kitchen any Thursday evening with a donation you would like to make. Food and drink in constant demand: Pot Noodles are a popular choice, particularly Chicken and Mushroom and Beef and Tomato flavours. Coffee and juice (squash) are much needed, used and appreciated Equipment and items our clients and visitors continually require include: Tents, ground sheets and sleeping bags Thermos flasks are always a welcome addition to stock Torches or lanterns (wind up if possible, but anything is useful) Warm winter hats and gloves, thermal clothes and coats Waterproof hiking boots and socks Disposable cutlery and crockery – biodegradable dinnerware where possible Take a look at their Amazon Wish List for specific ideas www.amazon.co.uk/gp/registrywishlist/15RQBG1OJO0VV?&_ encoding=UTF8&tag=tnsk-21 N ewbury Soup Kitchen welcomes donations, particularly of the items listed below. If you are able to donate any of

1 Highfield Avenue, Newbury, RG14 5DS Tel: 0778 5254828, Mon-Thurs 9am-3pm Email: newbury.eightbells@gmail.com Two Saints 210 Newtown Road, Newbury, RG14 7EB Telephone: 01635 569000 www.twosaints.org.uk/newbury-west-berkshire

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