Glasgow Soup aims to benefit east end community
A new crowd-funding initiative which lets people improve the community for the price of a bowl of soup is being launched.
A new crowd-funding initiative which lets people improve the community for the price of a bowl of soup is being launched.
The Glasgow Soup initiative invites people to donate £5 or more on the door, enjoy a bowl of soup, listen to local people pitch ideas that benefit the community in the city's east end, then vote for their favourite.
The presenter with the most votes then takes home all the money collected at the door to get their project off the ground.
Bafta-winning actress and former River City star Jayd Johnson is urging Glaswegians to support the initiative, which is holding its first event this month.
She said: "The criteria for pitching is also pretty straightforward, you can pitch any idea so long as it benefits the east end and is small scale enough for a donation of around £500 to make a difference.
"It might not seem a lot of funding, but the concept isn't just about money. It is about connecting and empowering people to make positive changes to their local neighbourhoods.
"The event is inspired by a unique model that originated in Detroit, which has seen some great projects get off the ground from a coat that turns into a sleeping bag to a theatre company that puts on free performances of Shakespeare. Glasgow Soup promises to be equally amazing."
The first Glasgow Soup event will take place at the Calton Heritage & Learning Centre on Thursday November 17 from 6-9pm.
Glasgow Soup is being organised by the Social Care Ideas Factory, a charity that already runs a range of projects designed to help people to live "braver, fuller" lives.
Charlie B-Gavigan, founder and curator of the Social Care Ideas Factory, said: "We've all heard the phrase 'people make Glasgow', well now the soup revolution has hit our city they really can.
"Just come along to Glasgow Soup and help turn ideas that make Glasgow a better place to live into a reality. The event is open to anyone: whether you need help for an idea that could benefit the east end of Glasgow or whether you just want to support local community-based projects.
Soup for the first event will be provided by the Spoon Cafe, a social enterprise and catering service run by Unity Enterprise to support adults with learning difficulties in a supported working environment.