THIS year’s Soup Kitchen in the Royal Square has raised a record-breaking £27,500, which Shelter Trust chairman Neville Benbow has described as “fantastic”.
It brings the total of funds raised through the donation of soup and bread from the hospitality sector to more than £250,000 in the 24 years since the first event ran in 1999.
“We received a further donation on Thursday night which increased the total this year to an incredible £27,500,” Mr Benbow said.
“We are trying to open the door to a better future for people, so the Soup Kitchen is a fantastic thing. Christmas is a time for families and for coming together, and for a lot of people who don’t have that roof over their head, it is a very difficult time. We’d like more people to understand the needs of homelessness throughout the year but it does come together at this particular time,” he added.
Shelter Trust operates from eight sites, providing accommodation for around 124 Islanders, in addition to a range of support services to help in the transition back to permanent accommodation. Demand for food parcels – an additional service it provides for many who are not residents – has doubled this year to 1,500. The charity has to raise almost £3 million annually to supplement funding from the government and from the housing benefit of those residents who receive this support.
Mr Benbow said: “We have been at capacity – and it does fluctuate with need – but the thing is that we have a bit of a speech impediment at Shelter: we can’t say no because can you imagine if you are homeless the very worst thing would be if you were turned away from a homeless shelter.
“Even if we were at maximum, we would find space for them because you need to give dignity and respect to people in that position. That’s really, really important. They say you’re only one step away from homelessness and anyone can be in that position.”
