A small but passionate group in Perth's south are connecting suburban communities via a bowl of soup, some bread, and a vote. Residents in Wellard have been pitching community projects at their 'Neighbourhood Soup' nights for years to improve local areas. Organisers say these types of events are taking off across Perth, providing a much-needed sense of community.
Category
đŸ“º
TVTranscript
00:00A bowl of soup, some bread and a vote.
00:07Four pitches, four new ideas battling out in four minutes for Wellard's next community
00:13project.
00:14We started way back in 2017.
00:16We had a couple of years in a row and then of course that break for COVID.
00:20We brought it back in 2023 and now this one is our fourth one.
00:25The soup event, organised by Wellard Village People, offers the stage to anyone with an
00:30idea of how Wellard can be improved.
00:33The winner takes home a $500 prize to bring their pitch to life, collected from donations
00:38at the door.
00:39I'm planning to get two more containers for change bin for the school.
00:43So I had this idea of having a flash mob installation in Wellard Village, just as a bit of fun.
00:49The concept was established in Detroit back in 2010 and has been replicated all over
00:55the world.
00:56The first time I pitched it was for a local charity that helps feed the homeless and needy
01:01and I was successful in that pitch and then today it was for a choir that I've recently
01:06joined.
01:07The fast growing suburb was built around its central train station, 30 minutes from the
01:11city and 20 from Mandurah, but the community yearned for more connection within Wellard
01:16itself.
01:17It's quite easy for people to get on the train and go somewhere and then potentially just
01:22get on the train and come back and go home and not necessarily get involved in their
01:26community.
01:27So events like this are important to actually create community.
01:30Getting people out on a Tuesday night when they may normally just be sitting at home
01:34binging Netflix and they're bonding over something really important.
01:38Some of the locals who pitched at this soup event have done little to no public speaking
01:43but say this environment is always safe, welcoming and supportive.
01:48The winner tonight is our very own Dionne with the most votes for her choir.
01:54Come on down Dionne.
01:56Suburbs across the city including Victoria Park and Hamilton Hill have also embraced
02:01neighbourhood soups, helping the community one bowl at a time.