Companion Pat talks about the Soup Run, which is part of our local Solidarity actions.

"I've been going out on the Emmaus soup run for three years now.  Emmaus does it once a month and other Charities, groups and individuals do it too so there's a soup run every night of the year.

It's really cold sometimes but all the same I enjoy it because I feel like I'm  helping out. We have our regulars who come nearly every time - usually about ten of them waiting when we arrive. We serve about 17 people and the most in one evening was 33. Of course I talk to them and get to know them. Some of the regulars have been sleeping rough for years.  Two of the people I've met through the soup run are Companion here now. There are some very lonely and sad people around and its good that we can help.

Our van drops me off the Convent where I make the tea in a huge urn and we collect a big urn full of delicious soup given by Donatello's restaurant. We load all this onto a special hand cart and wheel it down to the sea front. The cart has soup, cakes, sandwiches, and tea.  The sandwiches are  made at Emmaus, and the bread and cakes are given by Fairtrade. Its all gone in about an hour then we wheel the cart back up to the Convent, wash it out and go back to Emmaus.  There are always Companions who will come on the soup run- we've all been homeless and know what its like."