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A First!
SOUP! in the Cathedral
The Bishop of Bath and Wells was deeply impressed when he came to SOUP! in January 2023.
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In fact Bishop Michael was so impressed with how SOUP! is helping charities and local projects to spread their word and raise much needed funds, that he asked if it could take place in the Cathedral.
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So on Saturday 11th January, this happened. Tables were set up in the cathedral’s transepts, all 120 chairs were filled and Bishop Michael said: “SOUP! is one of the best things that happen in Wells and I am really grateful to the Dean and Chapter and Virgers for making this possible.”
Bishop Michael with the charities that benefitted from the January SOUP!
Report and photographs by Philip Welch
After the Bishop's introduction and welcome, the first speaker was a volunteer from Youth with a Future who explained how their charity had spent the money they received at the previous SOUP! in October, on supporting young people who are homeless or threatened with homelessness.
First of the four presenters this time was Eliza Wylie from Music for Wellbeing, which provides a warm and friendly space to bring together people living with dementia, but which almost ran out of money last year.​​​
Then Michelle Blackmore of Owl Enlightenment explained how interacting with owls can improve people’s mental health, reduce tension and blood pressure. She told us how one person who was normally silent began to speak after meeting one of their owls.​​
Sue Isherwood told us how Dance 4 Parkinson's brought people with this progressive disease together and was therapeutic. She said: “I felt lost before I joined this group.”
The final presentation came from Wells Youth Club which brought six young people to the microphone to tell the audience why they liked going there.
Then the audience marked their crosses on the voting forms supplied, and the Youth Club getting most votes. They received half the £700 prize money which will be spent on a trip to an activity centre. The other three charities shared the rest of the prize money.
“SOUP! is a brilliant initiative here in Wells and it was wonderful to see January’s meeting take place in the Cathedral,” said Bishop Michael after the event. “As always, it was extraordinarily moving to hear the stories of the excellent work being undertaken by the four causes that presented to those of us that gathered to hear them. So much news at this time is about gloom, challenge and destruction. SOUP! is one of the best possible antidotes to this that anyone can take. It reminds us powerfully of human goodness, dignity and of all that can be achieved when we work together for good.”
The compere Paddy O’Hagan thanked Wells Chamber of Commerce for their sponsorship of this SOUP!, Fresh & Good for making the three tasty soups, Burns the Bread for the rolls, Morrisons and the Bishop’s Eye for the wine, Morrisons for soft drinks, Karen Young for making the beautiful flower arrangements on the tables and St Andrews Press for doing the photocopying free of charge.​
The next SOUP! will be on Saturday 12th April, at 1pm. 'We hope it will take place at the Cathedral again but we're awaiting confirmation from the Dean and Chapter.
We will update as soon as we know. Watch this space!
How SOUP! works
£5 gets you delicious soup, fresh bread - and a vote.
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At each SOUP! lunch there are four presentations on local Wells projects. These range from charities, culture, regeneration, community, social justice, social enterprise, education, to technology and more.
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After the presentations, the audience is encouraged to discuss and debate before voting. They then vote on which project they think will benefit Wells and the surrounding area the most.
Whichever presenter gets the most votes wins half of the money collected at the door, to support their project going forward. This can be as much as £350, including match-funding by sponsorship from a local business. The runners-up share the other half. So, all four go away with new funds but, most importantly, have all been given a platform to spread their word!
The winning good cause is invited back to a future SOUP! to share what has been achieved as a result of the funding, and the impact SOUP! has had.
In April 2016, Wells Independents launched SOUP!, an event designed to support local charities and projects and at the same time have a bit of fun. The quarterly programme of fund-raising lunches has so far benefitted almost 100 good causes in Wells and the surrounding area. While eating delicious soup is part of the deal, there is much more to savour.
SOUP! on 5th October 2024
EVERYONE’S a winner at Wells SOUP! and a full house at the Connect Centre on Saturday 5th October saw four more good causes go away with money and a raised profile.
First to speak was Roxie Ford of FordHaven which offers separated siblings and other family members an opportunity to spend time together in a safe, welcoming and supportive environment. They won £350 at the July SOUP!, and Roxie said: “Without the support from organisations like yours, charities like ours could not function.”
Happy faces at the end of Wells SOUP!
(L to R) Michelle Payne, Ann Ralls, Saskia Johnson, Denise Denis and Deputy Mayor Louis Agabani
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Photograph and report by Philip Welch
Second up at this grant-giving lunch organised by Wells Independents was Ann Rolls from Youth with a Future, “A small charity with a big heart”, which supports young people who are homeless or threatened with homelessness with their education, training and employment, such as providing a suit for a job interview.
Then Saskia Johnson from St Cuthbert’s Junior School took to the stage explaining that she was raising money to restore a sensory garden for children with additional needs. The last stage would be to build a new tool-shed safe for the youngsters to use for their gardening and pottery courses.
Next was Michelle Payne from Heads Up, the mental health and well-bring charity based at South Horrington which offers a range of activities and courses on pottery, gardening and much more. They have a minibus and would like funds so they can use it to take their clients on more days out.
The final presenter was Denise Denis from Wells Dementia Action Alliance which raises awareness of this feared disease, runs a Memory Café in Wells Methodist Church Hall, supports the Music for Pleasure sessions in Seager Hall and gives talks to businesses about how best to help customers living with dementia.
While the audience’s votes were counted Heather Anderson from Wells Scouts told how Wells Mayor Jasmine Browne’s charity was raising money to restore their Scout Hut. There will be a concert by Tim Pitman and guests in Wells Town Hall at 7.30pm on Saturday, 23rd November, with a bar, auction and raffle. Tickets cost £20 cash from the Town Hall reception.
Then Youth with a Future were announced as the winner to warm applause. They went away with £350, the other three shared £350. All four benefitted from raised profile and publicity.
The compere Simon Lawder thanked Fresh & Good for making the two tasty soups, Burns the Bread for the rolls, Morrisons and the Bishop’s Eye for the wine, Morrisons for soft drinks, and Karen Young for making the beautiful flower arrangements on the tables.
SOUP! support
The next Wells SOUP! will be on Saturday 11th January, 12.40 for 1pm start. For the first time, the venue will be Wells Cathedral. See the article at the top of this page. Further dates for your 2025 diary are 12th April, 12th July and 11th October.
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Please email soup@wellsindependents.org if you have any queries about SOUP!
SOUP! is a powerful tool to start conversations, enjoy yourself, make new contacts and improve where you live.
Wells SOUP! is supported by Fresh & Good, Wells Blue School, Burns the Bread, Morrisons, and Bishop’s Eye – all of whom provide the food and beverages – and Mickey in the Market the flowers for the tables.
We are also extremely grateful to the companies who have ‘match funded’ (sponsored) SOUP!.
A full list of sponsors and the growing number of supported causes can be found below:
Present at SOUP!
How to apply to present at Wells SOUP!
SOUP! is a great way to raise money, tell people about your work, build community support and get connections to local resources that can help you carry out your project.
Once again, we are putting out an open call for groups from right across Wells and the local area to present at SOUP! This call is open to all charities, not for profit organisations, Community Interest Companies, social enterprises and individuals. The only condition is that any money raised is spent in Wells or the immediate surrounding area.
You can apply to present at Wells SOUP! by using the form below:
Please email soup@wellsindependents.org if you have any queries about SOUP!