Staff from an independent accountancy firm have been giving a local charity a helping hand by cooking and serving more than 50 meals at its Leamington soup kitchen.
Seven members of the team from accountancy firm HB&O, which has offices in Leamington and Coventry, visited Helping Hands Community Project in Leamington to support its weekday evening soup kitchen.
Helping Hands Community Project, which is marking its 10th anniversary next year, is a charity that provides a safe space and practical support to vulnerable men and women in Kenilworth, Warwick and Leamington.
It provides opportunities and support for those experiencing homelessness, domestic abuse, addiction, isolation, poverty and mental health challenges.
The charity hosts a soup kitchen every evening from Monday to Thursday on Althorpe Street in Leamington Spa.
It is supported by donations from suppliers including Hintons Nursery, Aubrey Allen, Greggs, The Steamhouse and the local community in Leamington.
Ellie Rose, Molly Savage, Holly Walker, Amy Wise, Neelam Marwaha, Pushpa Jheeta and Abbie Stanford were the team from HB&O to join Helping Hands for the ‘Soup Kitchen Takeover’ on a snowy evening in Leamington.
They cooked chicken curry, vegetarian lasagna and crumble with custard for more than 50 visitors to the soup kitchen on the night. The Shire Grill in Leamington Spa donated rice at a discounted price to allow the team to cook the meals at Helping Hands.
Ellie Rose, Marketing Manager at HB&O, said: “This is the second time we have been involved in a Soup Kitchen Takeover for Helping Hands and it is always a very rewarding experience.
“By our team being involved, it takes some of the pressure off the volunteers for the night. Our aim is to make it an annual event moving forward, as the charity’s mission is one we wholeheartedly support.
“We had some brilliant feedback from the clients – they really enjoyed our food!
“Cooking for that amount of people was certainly a challenge but it was all worth it to know that we were helping people who really needed it, particularly following a day of snow, ice and incredibly cold temperatures.
“If any other businesses are looking for a way that they can give back to their community, we would recommend getting in touch with Helping Hands to see how they can support their work.”
Helping Hands Community Project is also a client for HB&O, with the firm conducting independent examinations for the charity.
Jacqui Grove, Fundraising and Communications Coordinator, added: “We’d like to thank the team from HB&O for giving their time to support the soup kitchen to provide a wholesome meal full of love to our clients.
“Without help and volunteers we wouldn’t able to do what we do. We have had great support from the community over the last decade and businesses such as HB&O have been a huge part of that.
“The group from HB&O came on a cold, winter evening and their support was invaluable.
“Our ethos is to offer a hand-up and not a handout. We see people regularly at our soup kitchens and aim to encourage them to join our programmes and create a pathway back to employment for themselves through mentoring, skills workshops, work experience and training.”