We had inspiring pitches, music, voting and bowls of warming soup. Thanks to our wonderful audience & generous supporters we raised a whopping £1,673 for local community projects!!
The hard work of our amazing volunteers got us ready on time to start welcoming everyone at Community Base for the 26th BrightonSoup. The room was ready and the projects ready to go.
The kitchen was busy with soup being prepared and raffle tickets were selling like hot cakes! £1,200 had been raised for the prize fund. Read on for how the evening went and the results of the vote …
It was sooooo good to be back live and in-person again! There was such a buzz as both regular and new Soupers gathered at Community Base and the projects got ready for their pitches.
The kitchen was busy with soup being prepared and raffle tickets were selling like hot cakes! And we were free of zoom! Read on for how the evening went and who won the prize fund…
On Friday, for our latest BrightonSoup event we went online for the third time.
Since BrightonSoup first started in 2015 we have raised over £24,000 for local community projects, all thanks to you, the audience. So despite some uncertainty when first planning this, our 23rd BrightonSoup, we decided to go ahead with another Zoom event to ensure we could carry on raising money.
The decision paid off with everyone who replied to a quick quiz on Friday night answering that BrightonSoup is “the best feel-good event around – supporting community projects to do their thing in the community”
For our latest BrightonSoup event we went online for the second time.
The success and feedback from our first online Soup in March meant we decided to go online again, rather than wait longer for a real life Soup. Even though many are now hitting ‘peak Zoom’ a Zoom Soup is way better than most video meetings :), and we had a lovely turnout for a June evening.
We raised £445.75 from ticket sales and prize fund donations and 100% of Zoom Soupers gave the evening 4 or 5 stars. We had some people brand new to BrightonSoup as well as some who have been at every Soup since our very first one. So a really wonderful mix of people all contributing and quizzing the projects on their pitches before hitting the online voting.
Sue Hunter from The HIV Hour delivered the winning pitch and received £445.75 which will enable Sue and the team of volunteers to rent studio space so they can continue with their weekly broadcast on Radio Reverb.
For our 21st BrightonSoup event we went online for the very first time.
Our last in-person Soup was in December 2019, and the pandemic meant we could not hold a Soup for the whole of 2020. However, we had heard that some fellow Soups (there are many across the UK and internationally) had held online versions of a Soup evening, so we thought we would give it a go…
Team Soup embarked on getting to know how Zoom worked for large groups and seeing how we could recreate as much of one of our evenings as possible. We couldn’t do it all – but on Friday 05th March a quite nervous Team Soup went live with over 100 people joining us to hear four fantastic pitches, see some soup being made and listen to live music.
Zoom can never recreate the same feeling of being together, but we raised a record amount (over £550) and 95% of everyone who attended said the evening was fabulous or good! So a massive thank you everyone who bought tickets, pitched and helped in numerous ways, we will be holding another virtual Soup soon!
For our 20th Brighton Soup event we’re back at Communty Base – our 5th Winter soup here!
We’re not superstitious, but Friday 13th did prove to be a tricky one for us. We had people unwell and injured, which meant that pitchers and the musical entertainer had to drop out. In the end we had to go ahead with two pitchers, but it gave them more time to pitch and answer questions.
More than ever we needed help, and we were lucky to get that from many people. We list here everyone that organised, volunteered, cooked, entertained, provided prizes, decorations, pitched, won and basically helped make it all happen.
Community Base 113 Queens Rd Brighton BN1 3XG
Thanks to Olivia & Alison for their help.
The Projects & Pitchers
A huge thanks to all the pitchers taking part on the night, we couldn’t do it without you!
Durgha Ramji pitched and won £376.10 in donations for the Mindful Worriors project, which aims to celebrate Children’s Mental Health Week in February 2020 by offering yoga and mindfulness sessions to children in schools.
As always, these projects are still looking for help and support. If you can help, then please get in touch with them directly (details below) or use our contact form.
1 – Rebel Boob
Rebel Boob, is a performance which explores how a woman gets back on her feet following a breast cancer diagnosis. This ground -breaking play is not about chemotherapy, or about death – though they both may be mentioned a little! This is about life, and it is about re-evaluating who you are, and what is important to you. It focuses on the period after active treatment when you start picking up the pieces and dealing with your grief.
The performance is based on interviews with women affected by breast cancer as a starting point, along with pioneering video-mapping technology and choreography, to create an immersive performance along themes of identity, body image, priorities, grief and relationships.
Rebel Boob is also important for the friends and family of a loved one who has been diagnosed with breast cancer… they too need support and we know that understanding more about the experience of a person, will mean that there will be more awareness and support available for them.
We have worked with 20 schools across Brighton, Leicester and Birmingham reaching more than 700 young people within two years of starting our project. Since launching our project in Brighton we have worked with 4 schools reaching 120 students and hope to continue increasing the impact of our work in Brighton.
Mindful Warriors believes all children will benefit from practicing Yoga and mindfulness. For a flexible mind and body our 1 hour sessions are fun and rewarding. They consist of physical postures, breathing exercises and mindfulness techniques suitable for beginners. Our programmes support students develop tools to remain calm ahead of exams, reduce stress and anxiety and improve physical and mental wellbeing. We also work with schools to use yoga as an experiential tool to manage behaviour in the classroom.
We would like to support schools in Brighton celebrate Children’s Mental Health Week 3rd – 9th February 2020 by offering yoga and mindfulness sessions.
When our sheduled entertainer cancelled with only hours to go, we turned to previous winner Chris De Bank from We Are Not Saints for help. In no time at all one of his artists, Deiphos Jay, was heading over to entertain us.
Deiphos got a warm welcome from our soupers, and a great response to his original songs about everyday life. He was also full of praised for We Are Not Saints and how they helped him and supported hi,. He was there the night they won the vote and said it was an honour to return and play for us.
This money helps us cover the cost of hosting our events so that all the ticket income and donations can go to the winner.
Volunteers
A big thanks to:
Olivia Canham, Victoria Garcia and Richard Piggot for helping to choose the 4 projects to pitch at this event. Bonus points for Olivia for helping wash up at the event too!
Lizzie Batten for spending the evening serving people.
Freya and Shelley for coming early to help setup – and staying late to clear up!
Alan, Steph and Jon for tremendous help carrying heaving things around.
Alex Keene for taking photo – and also staying late to help carry heavy things.
Everyone elso who helped, especially putting tables and chairs away!
Forgive us if we missed anyone out, we usually do. Just let us know so we can update the page.
For our 19th BrightonSoup event we’re at All Saints Community Hall.
We list here everyone that organised, volunteered, cooked, entertained, provided prizes, decorations, pitched, won and basically helped make it all happen:
All Saints Church Community Hall The Drive Hove BN3 3QE
Thanks to Sarah for her help.
The Projects & Pitchers
A huge thanks to all the pitchers taking part on the night, we couldn’t do it without you!
A huge thanks to all the pitchers taking part on the night, we couldn’t do it without you! Rosie Linford pitched and won £323 in donations for the Saunders Park Edible Community Garden project, which is exactly what it says – and helps people come together to improve mental health and tackle loniliness and isolation.
We also heard from JoBates, who supported Evie Marin and Caitlin Smith whern they pitched for their Park Life Campaign in July 2018. Though they didn’t win the vote, they still came away with £441.80 in funding.
As always, the other projects are still looking for help and support. If you can help, then please get in touch with them directly (details below) or use our contact form.
1 – perfect too – move on with new skills
perfect too – moving on with new skills, has the vision of ending financial dependency for vulnerable women by nurturing their talents. The mission is to enhance chances of employment for women in Brighton by building up their confidence through learning and developing new skills, to enable them to move on, to lead an interdependent live.
Training topics are: Housekeeping and cleaning, Front of house and waiting at the table, Communication, Health and Safety. Knowledge is power, therefore learning and improving new skills empowers and creates new opportunities.
YAC has been likened to the “Citizens Advice Bureau” for
young people. YAC workers offer advice, support, guidance and expertise in a
wide range of areas such as housing, sexual health, emotional & wellbeing,
and debt and benefits advice. Our clients are aged 13-25 and many come to us in
need of advice on managing life skills to help empower them to be prepared and manage
the pressures of independent living.
Our workshop looks at the basic life skills needed to live
and thrive independently and aims to address some of the questions we get such
as:
“What is Council Tax” “What is a P45” ”How do I apply for
universal credit” “ How do I budget so that I can afford to live on my own
without getting into debt” “ How can I cook with the food I get from the
foodbank” “How can I represent myself well at a job interview”
Life Skills for Young People is a project by YAC Brighton
3 – Saunders Park Edible Community Garden
Saunders Park on the Lewes Road is home to an Edible Community Garde,
a green haven and beautiful shared space in an otherwise built up area. Creating
the garden has transformed a previously neglected corner of the park from an
unloved and anti-social hotspot into, a peaceful and fruitful space that locals
now seek out to enjoy, rather than avoid.
The Food Partnership runs gardening sessions fortnightly to take
care of the space. Many helpers at these sessions have experiences of mental
health issues, loneliness and isolation, homelessness, recovery from addictions
or health issues. All have found that helping to take care of the garden has
had a therapeutic effect on their wellbeing.
The garden aims to be as sustainable as possible, using permaculture methods to improve soil quality, saving seeds and harvesting rainwater to fill the pond. Seedlings and seeds are brought from local seed swaps and local allotment holders also donate surplus to the project.
Saunders Park Edible Community Garden is a project by the Brighton & Hove Food Partnership
4 – Fire & Feast
Fire & Feast is a monthly
family event run by Fernee Forest Club at Bevendean Community Garden and Woods;
to encourage local people explore and enjoy nature on a Friday evening and
share food around the fire. Children and their families take part in creative
and adventurous play in the woods and share seasonal produce from the Community
Garden. Everyone is welcome and we operate a ‘pay what you can afford’ policy
to ensure the sessions are fully inclusive.
At Fire and Feast, we experiment with recipes; making things like blackberry jam and baked apples, bread dampers and soups over the fire. Children of different ages explore the woods together; they climb trees, learn how to make rope swings and build dens; they develop fire lighting skills, experiment with whittling and try other woodland crafts. They learn about native wildlife and different habitats.
Through positive experiences in nature; we highlight the value of the local green spaces in Bevendean and Moulsecoomb and show children how to care for them. Together we grow food and plant trees and flowers and improve the biodiversity over time. We support families experiencing different challenges; including financial hardship and food poverty. We welcome children with disabilities and/or specific learning needs. Importantly, people can take the sessions at their own pace.
These sessions actively support
community wellbeing through encouraging people to relax in nature and to notice
the changing seasons and light. We go for walks, forage, observe wildlife; pond
dip and watch the stars and the bats come out. We gather around the fire,
cook, chat, eat and listen to stories by local storytellers. People often tell
us they feel great afterwards; that their families sleep well and that they are
encouraged to play in the woods and enjoy the Community Garden at other times.
Fire and Feast brings different families and generations together and
establishes a sense of community, through shared fire, adventures and feasting.
Fire & Feast is a project by the Fernee Forest Club
Contributors
Music – Seadog
A big thanks to Mark Benton, Tom Chadd and Lisa Osborne for playing for us on the night – it was brilliant. We had so many great comments about their performance, the music and their “lovely voices”. They are welcome back any time.
Mark on guitar, Tom on keyboards and Lisa #…
With the rest of the band they are known as Seadog,and their debut album, Cabin Fever Blues, is out now and you can hear it on Spotify.
A special thanks to Tom for playing AND making soup!
Soup and Food
These souper stars provided a delicious menu of 5 tasty soups to all of our guests – vegetarian, vegan, gluten free – something for everyone.
A big thanks to Joe Gray for also baking some delicious freshly made bread!
And to everyone else that brought food to share.
Decorations, Donations & Raffle Prizes
These are the local people and businesses (and some national) that supported us with some amazing raffle prizes. These contributions often cover the cost of hosting the event so that all the ticket income and donations can go to the winner.
Caz O’Kane, Sam Redfern, Natalie Edwards and Michael Keene for whittling down the submissions for pitching at this event.
Lizzie Batten, Sam Redfern and Claire Finn for spending the evening serving people.
Liz
Soper and Amanda Waterfield for taking photos for us. Amanda especially
for coming down from Suffolk to do it. Well okay, you were coming down
any :).
Jon, Alex, Michael, Natalie and Grace for staying to help us clear up. And everyone elso who did, especially putting all the chairs away – that was so quick! What a souper bunch of people you all are!
Please forgive us if we missed anyone out, we usually do. So please let us know so we can update the page.
For our 18th BrightonSoup event, we’re back at All Saints Community Hall.
We list here everyone that organised, volunteered, cooked, entertained, provided prizes, decorations, pitched, won and basically helped make it all happen:
All Saints Church Community Hall The Drive Hove BN3 3QE
Thanks to Sarah for her help.
The Projects & Pitchers
A huge thanks to all the pitchers taking part on the night, we couldn’t do it without you!
Chris De Banks pitched and won £505.52 in donations for his We Are Not Saints project, helping to we give musicians in recovery a new lease of life.
Chris and his big cheque.
We also heard from previoius winner, Jess Bailey, who won £441.80 at St George’s in Hangleton in July last year. She gave us an update on her Social & Therapeutic Horticulture Project that helpsyounger people at risk of isolation or experiencing mental health issues to connect using structured social activities in an allotment/nature-rich setting.
Jess , giving us a project update.
As always, the other projects are still looking for help and support. If you can help, then please get in touch with them directly (details below) or use our contact form.
1 – Blossom & Grace Flower Therapy
From personal experience, I have experienced what neuroscience teaches us, about the therapeutic benefit of being in nature, and working with flowers. I would like to run a project this summer, facilitating other women needing headspace to grow flowers from seed, nurture them, and then teach them to make simple floral arrangements.
We have been offered space at Rock Farm in Steyning to grow, and a stall at Florence Road Farmers’ Market in Brighton to sell what we make. We will run free sessions at the farm once a week from July – October during 2019.
This project gives women an easily accessible way of engaging in gentle therapy, by growing flowers, being with peers, learning and practicing mindfulness, and having a supportive space to ‘just be.’ By partnering with Rock Farm, we are able to link with their existing growing projects, and provide support to eachother’s areas of the farm.
Blossom & Grace Flower Therapy is a project by Release Counselling & Therapy for Women
Pitching & Contact:
Ellen Baldwin 07954 216 995 ellen@releaseforwomen.org.uk
We Are Not Saints is the first ever record label and events
company in the world working exclusively with musicians in recovery from
alcoholism and addiction. Based in the city of Brighton & Hove we work
across the cities 6000 strong recovery community finding the finest musical
talent on offer.
Musicians in recovery face significant barriers in the simplest of steps that everyday musicians find normal practice such as playing live and securing rehearsal and recording space. By hosting live events in sober spaces and offering opportunities to record and release their music we give musicians in recovery a new lease of life.
By releasing music from our artists and holding all inclusive live nights we are helping to break down barriers, fight marginalisation of musicians in recovery and helping to dispel the myth that a life of sobriety is a life free from fun!
We Are Not Saints Presents… is a project by We Are Not Saints
Pitching & Contact:
Chris De Banks 07543947755 chris@wearenotsaints.co.uk
We will have a float take part in the Brighton 2019 pride parade which has been produced over the season of activities. Our project is a season of activities designed to combat social isolation, encourage engagement and address discrimination. Over the period the project is running we would hope to work with around 15 – 30 clients a week.
Client Groups
Young People at risk of homelessness
Mental Health
Recovery
LD
What will we be using the funding for
Art supplies for the workshops
Sewing machines and fabrics for the costume workshops
Supporting volunteers who will be providing services and workshops FOC
Equipment and supplies for the day
Pride Parade 2019 is a project by Brighton and Hove Foyer
We are a parental forum helping families where there are youth wellbeing and health challenges. We aim to help young people stay in education with mentoring support.
We advocate and support parents navigating services. We campaign for aspirational youth outcomes locally here in Brighton and Hove and surrounding area.
Parental membership is open and free.
You’re welcome to click on our website for more information!
A big thanks to Phil Nye, Chris Hookway, Alan Andrews & inspirational roadie/supporter, TheseusGerard, for putting a band together for us this evening. Talented regulars from the Neptunes Open Mic Night, we were unofficially calling them Musiciand to the Rescue, but on the night decided to go with The Brighton Soup Band.
Chris on bass, Alan on Drums and Phil on guitar and vocals.
They played some great covers from Elton John, David Gray and a personal favourite – a laid back, almost country version of Led Zeppelins’ Rock & Roll. Loved it.
Phil and Chris recently formed the band Burning Skies and you can see them play some tracks from their debut gig here.
Soup and Food
These souper stars provided a delicious menu of 5 tasty soups to all of our guests – vegetarian, vegan, gluten free – something for everyone.
A big thanks to Jim Gray for once again baking some of his delicious freshly made bread, even though he couldn’t attend!
And to everyone else that brought food to share.
Decorations, Donations & Raffle Prizes
These are the local people and businesses (and some national) that supported us with some amazing raffle prizes. These contributions often cover the cost of hosting the event so that all the ticket income and donations can go to the winner.
Olivia Canham for helping host the selection meeting, and Tom Chadd, Shelley Brown, Jon Keene and Alex Keene for arguing over who pitched at this event.
Lizzie Batten for more lovely soup and spending the evening serving people.
To Stefania Rosso for arranging Italian student volunteers Alissa Bonavia and Arianna Selleri to help us set up and then spend the evening helping serve food and helping clean up; Also, Lorenzo, Giuseppe and Andrea who stayed late to help us clear up, along with Stefania and Richard.
Alex Keene for the super photography.
And a massive big thank you to everyone who helped clear up on the night, especially putting all the chairs away. That was amazing!
What a fantastic bunch of people you all are!
Please forgive us if we missed anyone out, we usually do. So please let us know so we can update the page.
For our 17th BrightonSoup event, we returned to St Richard’s Community Centre, where we held our second soup, back in September 2015.
We list here everyone that organised, volunteered, cooked, entertained, provided prizes, decorations, pitched, won and basically helped make it all happen:
The Venue
St Richard’s Community Centre Egmont Road Hove BN3 7FP
The Projects & Pitchers
A huge thanks to all the pitchers taking part on the night, we couldn’t do it without you!
Matthew Moors and Jo pitched and won £446 in donations for thei their D-Mob – Dementia Peer Support Group, helping those living with dementia to be heard, remain active and feel mutually supported.
Previoius winner Boudicca Pepper came back to give an update on the AudioActive project. Back in July 2018 she – along with Isha and Tom from Audio Active – won £448.00 for their Young Women Tech Group Project. Boudicca told us about how the projects has grown since then.
As always, the other projects are still looking for help and support. If you can help, then please get in touch with them directly (details below) or use our contact form.
1 – Vertigirls
Vertigirls is a non profit community group run by volunteers, established in 2008 to help empower women with additional needs through the sport of rock climbing.
We run low cost indoor climbing courses. For progression we have weekly sessions at local indoor walls. We have 4-6 subsidised outdoor climbing trips throughout the summer.
We need some new safety equipment to use and loan to our participants or there is no climbing. We need climbing harnesses, climbing ropes and technical gear needed to set up climbs. Harnesses are generally £40-60 We need 4 so max £240 Ropes are generally £40-60 We need 2 so max £120. The technical equipment we need for set up will be about £200. For those that understand climbing jargon we need a full rack, carabiners, slings, belay devices and rope protectors We are working on a deal with DMM to get these things at cost price.
D-Mob is a local dementia peer support group formed in early 2018. Members come from all walks of life, some living with dementia others supporting people living with dementia.
It is estimated there are approximately 3000 people living with dementia in the city – projected to be 3500 by 2030.
Currently the Alzheimer’s peer support group only provides a group for one year after diagnosis. D-Mob plugs this gap!
Through monthly social gatherings D-Mob provides invaluable opportunity for the voice of people living with dementia to be heard, for people to remain active and to feel mutually supported.
An environmental, educational and community project to get the local residents buzzing! The idea is to introduce two Bee Hives into the residential area of CravenVale (North Kemptown). CravenVale is a housing estate with a mix of private and council housing. It has a dense population and good community hub in the heart of it that runs various activities, cafe and a Friday food bank.
The aim is to train community volunteer beekeepers to look after the bees. While a long side run an educational community study group for self directed learning, inviting in local experts to speak and share their knowledge. To plant and maintain bee friendly plants and herbs all around the estate. There is the opportunity for competitions and participations from local schools and business. The idea is to eventually have CravenVale honey produced in the ‘Vale’ along with Beeswax candles and bowls.
This project would benefit the whole community as it has something to offer all ages. From training up young-old beekeepers to educational workshops for children and a study group for adults. It will hopefully bring the community together and integrate all ages in the fascination of our new residents. It also aims to encourage outdoor activity whilst checking on the bees and planting/maintaining the plants, flowers and herbs. It would bring a buzz to our community especially once the honey arrives and there is the opportunity to taste, sell and enter competitions.
The funding would go towards Beekeeping training for two volunteers, the Beehive’s, Beekeeping suits for adults and children. It would also help to secure a safe place to facilitate the educational groups and workshops. The funding could be put towards the plants and flowers needed to create a bee friendly environment.
We have the local Council behind the idea and hopefully will work alongside the Worthing Honey Collective who already have established hives all around worthing and are keen to share their knowledge and point us in the right direction.
This pilot project aims to improve wellbeing through getting people who are not active out on tandem bike rides along Brighton seafront.
Each person will be offered a number of rides on safe cycle paths with a volunteer tandem lead rider. It is hoped that the outdoor activity and company will lead to wellbeing benefits and we will ask for feedback at the start, mid and end points.
If successful, we will seek additional funding. The bikes are being supplied by Brighton Beach Bikes.
A massive thank you to Boudicca Pepper, Miri, Nina & Ellie for entertaining us on the evening with a superb set of originals tracks. The first time a previous winner has returned to perform. They had such a wearm response and promised to return.
Soup and Food
These souper stars provided a delicious menu of 5 tasty soups to all of our guests – vegetarian, vegan, gluten free – something for everyone.
A big thanks to Jim Gray for once again bringing along some of his delicious freshly made bread! And to everyone else that brought food to share.
Decorations, Donations & Raffle Prizes
These are the local people and businesses (and some national) that supported us with some amazing raffle prizes. These contributions often cover the cost of hosting the event so that all the ticket income and donations can go to the winner.
Olivia Canham for helping host the selection meeting, and Caz O’Kane, Matt Brabner, Claire Finn and Emma Davidson for the tough job of deciding on the pitching projects for this event.
Lizzie Batten & Sam Redfern for once again providing lovely soup and spending the evening serving people.
Alex Keene for taking some brilliant photos. And Jes Bailey & Jess for doing our social media photos and videos for the evening.
Shelley, Emma & Lynne for helping set up and staying late to clear up. And Lynne for a fanbtastic job on the raffle.
And a massive big thank you to everyone who helped clear up on the night! Special mention to Ollie for halping wash up :).
What a souper lovely bunch of people you all are!
Please forgive us if we missed anyone out, and please let us know so we can update the page.
Until next time!
Team Soup
We are grateful to the funding we have received from Brighton & Hove City Council and the Sussex Community Foundation.
An environmental, educational and community project to get the local residents buzzing! The idea is to introduce two Bee Hives into the residential area of CravenVale (North Kemptown). CravenVale is a housing estate with a mix of private and council housing. It has a dense population and good community hub in the heart of it that runs various activities, cafe and a Friday food bank.
BrightonSoup 