The final Liverpool SOUP for 2023 took place on 5th October, so here’s our roundup of the evening. If you’d like an extra helping of soup before Christmas, don’t forget that Wirral SOUP is taking place in November. We’re really looking forward to hosting even more events in 2024 - see you there!
Meet the pitchers...
Sewing into Business
Opening the evening was a pitch from ‘Sewing into Business’ - impressively delivered in the form of a poem!
Sewing into Business teaches sewing skills to people who are unemployed or on a low income, so that they can monetise these skills. The programme includes ‘personal change’ mentorship, so that participants can feel more confident promoting themselves and asking for the money they deserve.
Sewing into Business recently had to return some ‘on loan’ sewing machines, and so they really need more! If you’d like to support them, please consider donating new or used machines (or the cash to buy them). You can connect with the project on Instagram and Facebook.
The Queen of Greens
We also heard from ‘The Queen of Greens’, a nifty mobile service on a mission to improve access to fresh groceries in the region. Around one third of adults in Liverpool experience food insecurity, making it difficult to source or afford enough food for a healthy diet.
The Queen of Greens ensures people can access fresh food regardless of their income or location. This fantastic bus service makes dozens of stops across the region - including to hospitals, medical centres, schools, and community centres.
To support this project, please share information about the service far and wide. You can also use the service yourself, ensuring it remains financially viable into the future. Find out more on the Feeding Liverpool website or on Instagram.
Composting Food Waste
Joining the line-up was an innovative project idea from Tom. The plan is to launch a food waste collection service with a circular economy model:
Service users would prepare food waste for collection (especially useful if they don’t have access to a garden or a car); this would be collected and composted, with new produce grown using the compost. The resulting crops could then be returned to those whose food waste made it possible.
To support this project, please contact Liverpool SOUP and we’ll put you in touch. Offers of outdoor space, a bike trailer, or advice about growing food would be particularly useful to help Tom to get this idea off the ground.
Meet the winning project...
Shining Lights Baby Bank
The evening’s winning pitch came from Shining Lights Halewood CIC, who are supporting new parents by providing baby essentials like clothes, nappies, and milk.
In an overwhelming cost of living crisis, food banks have become an unfortunate mainstay in England. This specialism in baby essentials in particular is offering peace of mind to anybody caring for a new baby.
Shining Lights do not set a criteria for who can access their help. They say, “Anyone’s situation can change in a second, we aren't about creating barriers to support. Babies and young children should have access to the basic essentials they need to feel safe and secure.”
The project was awarded £1,533, thanks to the generosity of Liverpool SOUP's audience and donors. This money will go towards securing a more permanent facility for the baby bank. If you’d like to help Shining Lights further, please consider donating baby supplies or volunteering your time.
Every week, the baby bank supports around thirty families in need of essentials for a newborn baby or small child. With your support, the project can do even more! Follow Shining Lights on Instagram and get in touch.
More inspiring stuff across Liverpool
Sixty-second soapbox
In true Liverpool SOUP tradition, we also invited audience members to tell us about some other great local projects - in sixty- seconds or less!
Laughter Yoga
SOUP committee member Cat is running some brilliant laughter yoga workshops in South Liverpool. Contact us and we can connect you with Cat.
Zarach Liverpool
Around 34% of children in Liverpool live in poverty. Many of these children do not have a bed. Zarach provides a bed and other essentials to these children.
Plastic Tactics
A group of hardworking volunteers, motivated to make beautiful and useful things from waste plastic. Visit the website and join them!
It's Your World
A fantastic community clean-up project in L8, It’s Your World is on the lookout for community-minded volunteers to help keep this work going.
The Thinker
Previous pitchers from The Thinker shared information about their excellent events and activities. The organisation creates opportunities for people to come together and talk about the big questions of our time in a supportive environment.
DoES Liverpool
An independent makerspace, co-working space, and education hub. DOES Liverpool is an affordable way for anybody to try out laser-cutters, 3D printers, and unlock access to creativity.
Thank you, and see you in 2024
Another inspiring and heartwarming event has whizzed by, with music on the night performed by the wonderful Libby Ackerman. We can’t wait to raise even more cash and make even more Liverpool connections next year.
Remember to keep in touch so that you can attend, pitch, or get involved with Liverpool SOUP at future events. In particular, we’d love to know if there is anything holding you back from starting a community project of your own. You can contact us via email, or join our mailing list.
