For a soup kitchen to function is requires an army of selfless people willing to give up there time to help others. We meet those people, in Heath Town, Wolverhampton and get a glimpse of what drives them to do it.
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00:00Aunty Joyce, that's what it says on the bib.
00:02Yeah, that's me.
00:03So you founded the Soup Kitchen?
00:05Yeah, 16 years ago.
00:0716 years ago.
00:09So 16 years ago, did you think we'd still be here?
00:13Or did you think, oh, this is just a temporary thing?
00:15Temporary thing, but now it's got worse, we get more people coming in now.
00:19Yeah, yeah.
00:21And what do you get out of it yourself, Joyce?
00:24You know, because this is a big commitment on your part, on your time and everything.
00:27Just the satisfaction of knowing that you're feeding people, you're making friendship as well.
00:32And it's a place of safety as well, this is.
00:35People come and they forge friends because they're on their own.
00:38And the people that you're seeing come through the door, is there a lot of people out there living alone, lonely lives?
00:45Or is it families with kids who are struggling, what's the deal?
00:48It's a mixture. The majority, I mean, we've got the homeless that come, we've got family, young kids that come.
00:56It's just all kinds.
00:58Yeah, yeah.
01:00And it must be kind of, I guess, you know, like you say, it's a place of safety.
01:04I should imagine some of them open up sometimes to you and, you know, it must be some very touching stories.
01:10Absolutely. It breaks your heart.
01:13So you've got a little army here, helping you out.
01:17Yeah, a small army.
01:19How often are you here then, Joyce? Getting prepping then?
01:21We're here from about 10 o'clock till half past eight at night.
01:26Yeah, so tonight people will be coming.
01:29Yeah.
01:29From what time, five o'clock?
01:31Five o'clock they start coming in, yeah.
01:32Yeah, and what, a window of an hour or so to come in and get there?
01:36Half an hour.
01:36Half an hour, yeah, yeah.
01:37So how many people would you guess you'll see tonight come through?
01:41It varies. I mean, tonight, because it's snowing, we could get a lot, we don't know, but then we could get not so many.
01:49What's an average then, would you say?
01:51An average of about 35, 40.
01:53Quite, yeah, yeah, and it's once every two weeks, isn't it, on a Tuesday?
01:57Yeah.
01:58Yeah, well, I mean, the work you're doing, Joyce, is amazing.
02:01So just on behalf of the city, really, thank you.
02:04Just teamwork.
02:05Yeah, yeah, thanks, Joyce, thank you.
02:08How long have you been involved, guys?
02:10How long have you been involved, chicken?
02:12How long have you been here at the soup kitchen, helping out?
02:15I don't know, about two years, maybe a year.
02:19Maybe a year.
02:20So why are you here, why are you helping out, what are you getting out of it?
02:24It's just nice, nice.
02:27Nice to be nice?
02:28Yeah.
02:28Yeah, true.
02:29And you haven't got a choice, have you, because it's your mum that set it up, isn't it?
02:32Yeah, that's it.
02:32So you've got no choice.
02:33I've been here, what, over 10 years, I've been doing it.
02:37And I guess we all wish we didn't, there wasn't a need for it, but...
02:42Yeah, there is a need.
02:43Yeah, yeah, and let me just check, let's have a look at these nails.
02:47These are, how are you peeling spuds with these nails?
02:52That's just crazy.
02:53Look at that, everyone.
02:55That's very impressive, very impressive indeed.
02:59And what about yourself, sir?
03:00Alan, have you been involved with the soup kitchen here?
03:0310, about 10 years now.
03:05From the start?
03:06No, no, no, I've been running for about 15.
03:09Yeah, yeah.
03:1015 years now, I've been involved for about 10 years.
03:12Yeah, yeah.
03:13And what have you seen over the 10 years?
03:16Things getting better, worse?
03:21I don't think there's been, I don't think it's got better.
03:25Yeah, yeah, yeah.
03:26I think the community spirit has got better.
03:30Yeah, okay, interesting.
03:32The way the community comes together and helps one another has got a lot better.
03:37It's become more of a thing.
03:40Yeah, yeah.
03:42Whereas before it was, you'd walk past someone on the street and they wouldn't be there.
03:48It's a bit more of an understanding now.
03:50Yeah, yeah, yeah.
03:51Yeah, yeah.
03:52Love Like Neighbour has now made an appearance again.
03:56Yeah.
03:56Whereas before it was Neighbourhood Watch and Love Like Neighbour
03:59and then that lost that sense of community spirit.
04:02Yeah, yeah.
04:02And I feel that now the community as a whole are coming together again.
04:07That's good.
04:07Without the help of, shall we say, the government.
04:11Brother Brown, Dennis Brown, hello sir.
04:13Yes, sir.
04:14How long have you been involved here?
04:18Well, I've been working with this, yeah.
04:25Five years?
04:26Yeah, yeah.
04:27And are you just so fed up of peeling spuds?
04:31I mean, do you just, when you get home, do you think the last thing I'm doing is peeling the spud?
04:35No, I don't get it.
04:36No.
04:38Yeah, yeah.
04:39And how many spuds do you reckon you get through on a Tuesday?
04:44A full bag of them.
04:45A full bag, yeah?
04:46On Tuesday.
04:47Yeah, yeah.
04:48I bet your hands are cramping by the end of the day, aren't they?
04:52It's good exercise though, yeah?
04:53Yes, please.
04:54So go on, how old are you then, sir?
04:58Yeah, go on.
04:59Go on.
05:0085.
05:0085.
05:0285 in your ear on a Tuesday morning doing your bit for the community.
05:06All day long, Joyce.
05:08Yeah, yeah.
05:09Fantastic.
05:10Well done, sir.
05:11And Joyce, we've got another lady just come along.
05:13Who's this young lady?
05:14I'm glad you said young.
05:15There we go.
05:17I'm Joyce's sister.
05:18Joyce's sister.
05:19What's your name, chicken?
05:19Denise.
05:20Denise.
05:21So Denise, we've had a little chat to Joyce there.
05:23So it's been, you know, 16 years, isn't it?
05:25Since you, yeah, yeah.
05:26And I was saying to Joyce, you know, when you started, I guess you were thinking, well,
05:32this is what's needed, but hopefully, you know, it won't be needed next year.
05:36And here we are 16 years later.
05:38What would, you know, have you kind of, is there anything you think we could be doing?
05:45Where are we going wrong?
05:46What do you think?
05:47I mean, it's hard to plan, you know, if the government can't sort it,
05:50then I'm not expecting you to.
05:51I can't even answer the question.
05:53But yeah, you know, what are your thoughts on the situation then?
05:57It is the cost of living.
05:58We can see the cost of living is having an impact on everyone.
06:01It's not just, we don't say, we say people in need now.
06:04Before it was targeted at the homes, but now it's anyone that's in need.
06:08And we can actually see it.
06:09We can see when we have our deliveries.
06:11The deliveries are getting, they are getting shorter, aren't they Joyce?
06:13Yeah.
06:14So yeah, so we've got to make do with what we've got.
06:16Yeah.
06:16So where do you get your food and stuff from then?
06:19We get it from Fair, Fairshire.
06:22Yeah, where are they based in the city, are they?
06:24They're based in Birmingham.
06:26Okay, yeah, yeah.
06:27We used to get some from the well as well, in Wolverhampton.
06:30Yeah.
06:30Unfortunately, their supply is depleted, so.
06:33Wow, okay.
06:34Yeah, it's only the times.
06:36And that's not necessarily that people aren't donating,
06:39it's that more people are in need and coming for the, yeah, yeah.
06:41Yeah, yeah, yeah.
06:42Okay, yeah.
06:43And when we say more people, it's just everybody?
06:45Yeah, yeah, yeah.
06:46It's not just like we know before.
06:47You can see the different working people coming in.
06:49Well, that's it.
06:50We used to think, you know, food banks and that,
06:52like you say, for the homeless and stuff.
06:54But now, you know, you'll have, from what I can gather,
06:57there's people that sometimes are even working,
06:59but can't feed the family, you know, which is.
07:01It's a shame.
07:02A crazy situation, really.
07:04It is.
07:04Yeah, yeah.
07:05Can I say as well?
07:06Yeah, go on, Joyce.
07:07There's a guy called Malik the Butcher.
07:08Yeah.
07:09He's really good.
07:10Who's that, Malik?
07:11Malik.
07:11Malik.
07:12Malik the Butcher.
07:12Yeah.
07:13He gives donations as well.
07:15Is that the name of the business, Malik the Butcher?
07:16Yeah.
07:17Where's he based, Joyce?
07:18Dunstall.
07:19Dunstall?
07:19Yeah.
07:19Okay, well, big shout out to Malik as well, then.
07:22Yeah.
07:23So what's the favourite soup that goes down well, then?
07:25You've got to try and prepare something that everyone wants,
07:28haven't you?
07:28My favourite bacon.
07:29Yeah, yeah, great, great pace.
07:33I'm going to say you can't be too fancy, can you?
07:35Because they'll be, you know.
07:37They do like vegetable soup as well.
07:39Yeah, a good solid...
07:40Mushroom soup.
07:41Peas and...
07:42What was it that you did?
07:42Peas and...
07:43Peas and bacon.
07:43Beans and beans.
07:44Beans and peas.
07:46Yeah, yeah.
07:48And it's a nice little camaraderie I can see you've got here between this, isn't it?
07:52You know what I mean?
07:53We've got another team coming in as well tonight.
07:55Yeah.
07:55So how many helpers do you reckon get involved overall on a Tuesday?
08:00Probably about 15.
08:02About 15, yeah.
08:03Wow, okay.
08:04Good going.
08:04Come through different stages of the day.
08:06Yeah, yeah.
08:08Well, thanks again, guys.
08:09Amazing work you're doing.
08:10Look at them hands go in there.
08:12Dennis Brown's right in there with them spuds,
08:15making sure he's keeping up with them nails.
08:18So you were saying even sometimes you'll offer other services, like a bit of barbering?
08:24Yes, a lot of feedback from our service users, especially our homeless people.
08:32Yeah.
08:34After a haircut, the average person feels so much better with themselves.
08:38Yeah.
08:38Now a lot of our service users can actually go into their families,
08:42go and visit their families again, feel human again.
08:46Yeah, yeah.
08:47They can go to the doctor appointments.
08:49Usually they won't go to the doctor appointments because they'll sit in the waiting area.
08:54Before that, they've been looked at.
08:55Yeah, and I guess we forget, don't we?
08:57You know, I mean, even the barbers I go to, nothing special,
09:00but even that's 12, 13 quid just for, you know, and that's once a month.
09:04So yeah, for a lot of people, they just haven't got that at once.
09:07Yeah, absolutely.
09:08I mean, my barbers, we never...
09:13My barbers are FH5 on the road.
09:16Yeah, yeah.
09:17After work, they usually come down and they've got about 15, 20 heads.
09:23Wow, just give them a shout out again.
09:24What are they called?
09:25FH5.
09:26FH5.
09:27Right, so well done to them.
09:29Fantastic work, sir.
09:30So Joyce, you've got some of the stuff here that's come in.
09:33And we've got, what have we got in here?
09:36We've got lamb.
09:37Yeah, yeah.
09:38We've got biscuits best donated by the well.
09:41Yeah.
09:41And all this here, that old purse.
09:43Yeah.
09:45Purse, yeah.
09:46So just come in then, Joyce.
09:48Yeah, so they'll come and they'll have some soup,
09:50but they also go away with a little goodie bag with some stuff.
09:54But like you were saying earlier, the well, they've been a big help and still help.
09:59Massive, massive help, yeah.
10:00But the demand on their services mean even the amount
10:02that they're able to give you is less and less.
10:05Absolutely, yeah.
10:06So really, you could do with some kind of extra sponsorship, donations.
10:14What would you, what would you, you know, if you had a magic wand,
10:18other than getting rid of the need for the, you know, soup kitchens,
10:21what would you like?
10:23Sponsorship or donations, what would be ideal?
10:25What kind of stuff?
10:27Monetary stuff so we can get out on things.
10:29So we don't have to touch the money.
10:31We've got like a church, a church account.
10:35And they, any money that comes in, it goes straight into the account.
10:39And everything that we spend is accountable by receipts.
10:43And has the soup kitchen always been based here since you started it?
10:46No, we've been in three different places.
10:48It was in Bilston to start with.
10:49Okay, yeah.
10:50And we had to move from there.
10:51Yeah.
10:51Then it was in Wolverhampton.
10:53Yeah.
10:53Then we had to move from there.
10:55Yeah.
10:55And we're here now.
10:56Yeah, yeah.
10:57But, you know, by God's grace, it's been, it's been sold by actually
11:01popping up places that we need.
11:03Yeah, yeah.
11:03When we come here, we don't have to pay anything.
11:06Yeah, yeah.
11:07Nothing at all.
11:08That's good, that's good.
11:08Because the church recognises for the community.
11:11Yeah, totally.
11:12This building is for the community.
11:14And let's just have a look.
11:15You've been prepping the tables.
11:16Just take us over there.
11:18So they come in and they sit down and effectively get, have a little,
11:22and I guess it's a social thing for them as well, isn't it?
11:24You know, I'm just thinking as they sit here, you know,
11:27they're sitting amongst people in the same situation.
11:30Perhaps people, you know, down their street,
11:33they wouldn't want to open up to them about, you know,
11:35but here they've got that free space to talk.
11:38And that must be a big part of it as well for them.
11:41Yeah, it's a massive part for them.
11:43So they come in and they get tea and biscuits.
11:45Yeah.
11:46Just to warm them up with coffee, get them what they want, get a cold drink.
11:49Yeah.
11:50It's just like a family atmosphere really.
11:52You know what I mean?
11:52Yeah.
11:53So it's all good.
11:55Cool.
11:58Richard, how are you, sir? You okay?
12:00I'm well, no, I'm fine.
12:00Cool.
12:01So you're a volunteer here as well?
12:03I do volunteer, but I'm actually the administrator for the church.
12:06Oh, okay, yeah, yeah.
12:07I help to organise the food bank here.
12:10So Jesus singing your praises, you know, about you.
12:13Yeah, yeah, about the church, letting them use the space and no cost involved and so on.
12:19So hats off to everyone involved at the church here.
12:22And what are your thoughts on the situation then?
12:25It's not getting better out there, is it?
12:27It's not getting better and I don't foresee it getting better.
12:30Yeah, yeah.
12:31So all we can do is ask anyone that's involved,
12:35in support of the food bank, to continue doing that.
12:37Yeah, yeah.
12:38Food bank, soup kitchens, all over the place.
12:40We need the help of people around to help those who need it.
12:44How are you guys? You okay?
12:45Yes, thank you.
12:46Good. So we got, who we got? We got Dalton.
12:48Dalton.
12:49Dalton and Zak. I can see Zak and Malachi, yeah?
12:54Zak and Malachi.
12:55And what's your name, madam?
12:56Carol.
12:57So you all come to help out? Yeah, you all volunteer?
13:00Myself and my husband, not the little ones.
13:02Not the little ones, no.
13:04But they're helping out by sitting nicely.
13:06So well done Malachi and Zak.
13:09What brings you here?
13:10You know, you could be at home watching the telly, chilling.
13:13Why are you here? Why do you feel the need to come and help?
13:16Well, basically, Joyce, Manor Kitchen is paramount to this community.
13:25My husband, myself, we come.
13:27Joyce has asked us to be part of this team.
13:30We see all different people from all walks of life.
13:34Some have fallen hard times.
13:37And we're just really here.
13:39When Joyce told us about what she was thinking of doing,
13:42we just came on board.
13:43Yeah.
13:43You know, seeing people who, you know, are, you know, who are, things that, life is hard.
13:50Yeah.
13:50And, you know, sometimes people just want to, and hear someone to listen to.
13:58You know, things, even what they've been through as a child,
14:01even as adults, that it's impacted them, even to where they are today.
14:05And just being here, just to support Manor Kitchen.
14:09They're doing a fantastic job.
14:11The team, there's a lot of love here.
14:15Yeah.
14:15Often when you speak to these people that, you know, they've got their own stories of,
14:19that the reason they're here, you know, people tend to think,
14:22oh, it's all people are homeless and they're all drug users.
14:25And that's not the case, is it?
14:26There's often a history of abuse.
14:28Yeah.
14:28There's quite some historical stories, I'm sure.
14:30Yeah, there's some people as well who actually went to university.
14:34Yeah, yeah.
14:34Lost their house.
14:36Yeah.
14:36Lost their family.
14:36Yeah.
14:37Well, I think a lot of us don't really always remember
14:41how close we all are to being in that situation, really.
14:43You know what I mean?
14:44Yeah, yeah.
14:45What is it?
14:46We're only, most of us are only a couple of paychecks away from being,
14:49supporting on our mortgage, aren't we?
14:50Exactly, exactly.
14:52You know, so, it doesn't matter.
14:54You know, we just have to be here.
14:56Yeah.
14:56We just have to be here.
14:58The warmth that is given here.
15:00You know, a husband who, he does, he suffers, you know, health.
15:06Yeah.
15:06He loves people and he does motivational speaking and...
15:09Yeah, so you do a bit of, because it's, is it a bit of ministry as well?
15:13Yeah.
15:14Adults and, yeah, yeah.
15:14So let's come along to you, bud.
15:16So yeah, so on a Tuesday, fill us in on that side of things.
15:20Yeah, well, sometimes I do, I've been asked to give a word of encouragement, you know.
15:25Yeah.
15:25Because, sometimes, some of them really feel a bit low, low self-esteem.
15:31Yeah.
15:32Feeling discouraged, no job prospect, you know.
15:36A little bit of issues where it comes to, not finding fulfillment in life.
15:41Yeah.
15:42And what I try to offer them some hope, you know.
15:45Yeah.
15:45Regarding, you know, that in the midst of everything and that your adversities,
15:49God can still be with you and use you even in your adversity.
15:53Yeah.
15:53You know, I've been giving a little topic on that over the last few months.
15:58Yeah, yeah, yeah.
15:59Well, fair play.
16:00Well done, guys.