July 2018 Food Collectors committment of faith and hasn't looked back. He says he has been Soup Run Map Among the numerous Soup Run challenged in some areas of his life Leaflet Reprint volunteers are the 'Food Collectors' or but he definitely doesn't miss tobacco 'Picker-upers' who collect food from or cannabis. He has a flat, where he Now Available local businesses and then deliver it to lives with his two sons, a steady job, The Soup Run map leaflet Soup Run prep locations. Steve a car and has found a new family of has now been updated Smith and Jill Caskey kindly agreed Christians at Hope Baptist Church. to share a bit about themselves and and re-printed. If you To anyone who feels their situation what they do... would like copies, please and life is hopeless, Steve says send an email to Steve has been "Don't give up, there is a way newsletter@plymouthsoup collecting and forward. You may not see the light at run.org.uk. delivering for the end of the tunnel, but with just the Soup Run one spark of faith, the darkness will for about a be gone and life will come". Summer Soup year. He was Jill first heard about the Soup Run Run Stops already a through a friend's post on Facebook volunteer driver, From 4th June to 2nd and thought to herself "I could do transporting people to church. Steve September 2018, instead that", so she joined the Monday night wanted to do this because he knew of stopping at Hoe Road prep team about 3 years ago. Her from his own experience what it's like Belvedere 'the Wedding son Jack also volunteered as part of to be without transport. He was also Cake’, the second Soup his Duke of Edinburgh award. After homeless for a short period following Run stop will be outside about 6 months, Jill realised there the break-up of his marriage. In fact Shekinah in Bath Street. was a need for a food collector so the last few years have been quite a has been filling that gap for the last roller-coaster for Steve. He went two and a half years, as well as from having a home, job, car, wife, Ending helping out in the kitchen when children and "everything most people needed. Jill's other volunteering homelessness could ever want", to losing all of that experience has included reading with and being in heavy debt. He even in the UK children in school and is currently got to the point where he was Treasurer of the local Scouts and prepared to take his own life. Then within ten Beavers clubs. "There will always be Steve asked God to forgive him and a need for Soup Run voluteers and I years help him; he wasn't a Christian at the would encourage anyone thinking time and things didn't change With the right measures in about it to just do it, even if its just for overnight, but his journey of hope place, that's the an hour, or by spreading the word began. He contacted Christians conclusion of the when there's a need for blankets or Against Poverty (CAP) who, over 4 landmark report socks etc". Jill years, helped him to be debt free. 'Everybody In' by the is married with Through CAP, he was also given a charity Crisis. The report two childen and 'Discovery' holiday break at Heatree sets out the exact currently works in Devon in 2015, and it was there government policies as a consultant that he realised how God had needed to end promoting safe answered his prayer and brought him homelessness. For the cleaning through the turmoil, bringing real full report visit products. peace and happiness. Steve made a www.shelter.co.uk. A community and faith driven service providing free food and hot drinks to homeless, hungry and vulnerable people 365 days a year. Page 2 / July 2018 Nextmeal.co.uk Thrive Plymouth Next Meal is a new database website of local Save the date: Tuesday 16th October 2018 soup kitchens which directs homeless people to (World Food Day): Year 5 Conference 'People their nearest hot meal. The inspiration came Connecting through Food', at The Marquee, through Martin Stone, who leads the Soup Rolle Plaza, University of Plymouth. Thrive Kitchen at Muswell Hill Baptist Church in London. Plymouth is a 10 year programme adopted by He wondered if the same technology that gave Plymouth City Council in 2014 to support people in information on the next bus could be used to tell making healthly choices by encouraging and you about the next meal. Next Meal launched in enabling partners (residents, organisations, 2017 and is already making an impact, being institutions) to play a part. Keynote speakers for embraced by homeless people and Londoners the conference will be Tom Andrews (Director, alike who want to help those in need. Sustainable Food Cities) and Simon Platten Instead of giving money to those who are (Project Manager, Tamar Grow Local). Also: begging, small Next Meal cards can be given Celebrating Thrive Plymouth Year 4, Get involved, directing them to a nearby soup kitchen. The Creative Breakout Sessions, Networking, and Plymouth section of the website was launched lunch. For more information visit on 5th July, check it out at www.nextmeal.co.uk. www.plymouth.gov.uk/publichealth/thriveplymouth. New Multi-Agency potential to transform people's lives. In the recent bad weather a StreetVet Rough Sleeper gentleman who had been living in This award-winning initiative Team (MARS) the woods for a long time came from the Royal College of into emergency accommodation; Veterinary Surgeons is a A new team is being set up in this meant we were able to engage registered practice Plymouth to tackle rough sleeping. with him more, to start talking to delivering free care to the Plymouth City Council, together him about his situation and to homeless and their dogs. It with Shekinah, the Salvation Army, help." began in London and now Plymouth Access to Housing, The funding will also enable the also operates in Brighton, BCHA and Westward Housing council to provide emergency Bristol, Cambridge and Group, submitted a bid and have accommodation for longer during Plymouth (with the Monday been awarded £363,000 by the severe weather. Other aspects of Hope Baptist team). They Government. The project will the project include expanding the also plan to work with other involve staff going out and Housing First pilot plan with organisations where dogs encouraging people into temporary Plymouth Community Homes, may regularly accompany emergency accommodation. It will where the people are given vulnerable adults (eg also offer more support via a case support through their tenancy so Mutley’s Gaffer’s Café). For worker so rough sleepers can get that they become more settled and more information visit help to move away from the better able to live independently in www.streetvet.co.uk. lifestyles that keep them on the their own homes. street. Dear God As well as the outreach support, the Council will be working with Thank you that you know partners to make more everything and You hear accommodation available. Mike all our prayers. Taylor of Plymouth Access to Help us to trust you and to Housing (PATH) said: "We know a always thank you. more tailored approach has the Amen. 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