The student-run Oxford organisation, Project SOUP, is set to host a fundraising event in partnership with Crisis Skylight Oxford, a local homeless support centre, in early November.
Project SOUP hopes to broaden awareness about homelessness in Oxford as well as raise hundreds of pounds for local charities through the “soup dinner event”, which is scheduled for Saturday 3rd November.
President of Project SOUP Maddy Diment told Cherwell: “[Project SOUP] is all about bringing the community of Oxford together to discuss real issues that are affecting our community today.
“As young people we can often feel powerless, or as if our voice doesn’t want to be heard when facing global issues such as climate change, food waste, the refugee crisis or homelessness. Project SOUP guarantees all voices will be heard and real, positive change can be made.
“There is so much to celebrate at our events: democratic participation, charity fundraising,
volunteering opportunities, live music, and…tasty surplus soup!”
The group is confident that students will enjoy the “warm and festive menu of soup and bread, lovingly made by our team of student volunteers from donations ingredients.”
Once a spokesperson for each of the three causes has made a pitch, the students vote on which cause they want to provide the most money to. The winning charity receives £100 from the evening’s proceeds, obtained from the £5 entry fee and any additional donations.
The remaining money is split evenly between the three projects.
The project is one of hundreds of similar ‘soup’ movements worldwide, as Diment noted: “The Soup movement started in Detroit in 2010 and since has gone global.”
Previous Project SOUP events have featured expert talks on topics such as the refugee crisis and have hosted academics like Dr Patricia Daley, Professor of the Human Geography of Africa and Fellow at Jesus College.
In addition to their termly events, the group also hosts a blog platform that they hope will become “an open space for writers, artists and creators to showcase their talents and use their voice to speak about sustainability, community, charity, food waste”.
