A First! SOUP! in the Cathedral

The Bishop of Bath and Wells was deeply impressed when he came to SOUP! in January 2023.

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.

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 Vergers for making this possible.” 

Bishop Michael with the charities that benefitted from the January SOUP!

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.​​

Michelle Blackmore of Owl Enlightenment

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.

Report and photographs by Philip Welch