Jersey Soup Kitchen returns for its 26th year to raise donations for rough sleepers

Jersey's annual event which aims to raise money for homelessness has returned for its 26th year.

'Soup Kitchen' raises funds for The Shelter Trust and increases awareness of homelessness on the island by encouraging the public to buy one of 40 soups cooked for the occasion.

Islanders will be served a variety of donated soups from 10:30am until 2pm today (Tuesday 10 December) in the Royal Square.

Richard Robbins, Treasurer of The Shelter Trust, explains how the day takes a different approach to help those in need:

"The whole idea is that it is a reverse Soup Kitchen, in that we aren't serving soup for the homeless, we are serving soup to the public donated by all the local hotels and restaurants and all the money we raise helps the homeless.

"This is very important. Last year we raised over £27,000. It is important that we make people aware of homelessness in Jersey. The Trust looks after more than 100 people a night.

"We are going to serve around 3000 people so that raises their awareness of it."

He continues: "It's absolutely vital that people become aware that particularly around Christmas there is homeless around Jersey and that people do something about it."

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