Normality

Normality, being part of society, being like everyone else and doing everyday things like everyone else. How important actually is this to people?

One of the things we do generally in western society is sit round a table, eat, chat, share and listen. Not necessarily every day but it is a thing we do. So if you are on the isolated outskirts of society, marginalised, stared at, unwanted, unloved, how important would it be to have someone bring you round a table to eat, chat, talk to you and listen to you?

One of the things we do at the soup kitchen is eat round a table, yes at the moment we are in a car park having lost our building due to redevelopment, but we still do it. We have a table and chairs and we serve food on plates with cutlery, we have coffee and we chat. Sometimes we all talk complete rubbish, passing the time of day stuff, weather, talk about celebs or critique the government. Other days if someone is having a tough time and needs to share, or if they need to off load what is going on in their lives then we are there for them so they feel comfortable to do this. Listening is such a vital part of what we do. If we had to choose one thing then listening is THE most important thing we do.

We try and help people maintain some 'normality'. We listen to them. We laugh with them. We provide tissues when they cry. We try to provide that bridge between being lonely and isolated and being part of something. This is so much more important that serving the meals or giving out toiletries etc..

In time, and it does take time, we build trust so our service users feel comfortable to share their thoughts and feelings with us. They talk about what is happening in their lives. This is the very important time where we can ask where they want to go, who do they want to see and find out if they are in the right place to see someone from a formalised agency. This can take a long time though as we work with some incredibly damaged and let down people.

I hope by reading this you understand more about what we do and why we do it six days a week and why it is so important for us to serve our community.

We welcome anyone. No matter who they are we support them and we give a bit of ourselves to them. We hope that in time they will understand that not all of society has turned their backs on them, and that there is hope, opportunity and love in their futures.