Homeless get helping hand and hot soup from care home

A POP-UP soup kitchen will open in a Teesside care home to serve hot food and drinks to the homeless.

Mandale House Care Home, on Acklam Road, Thornaby, is opening the kitchen following the success of their food bank appeal in December.

They are working with local initiative Hope for the Homeless North East, launched as a Facebook group by Darlington resident Ray Cook.

Ray has donated bottled water and cans of soup for the kitchen, which will open from 11am to 1pm on Wednesday, 7^th February.

The home’s hairdresser is also offering free haircuts to anyone who visits.

The home is also launching an appeal for sleeping bags, hats, coats, gloves and blankets, to provide ongoing support to the area’s homeless.

Michael Allen, home manager at Mandale House Care Home, said: “We ran a successful food bank appeal in the run-up to Christmas, when the generous Thornaby community helped us gather food and toiletries for those in need.

“We wanted to continue to offer our support and came up with the idea of a one-off soup kitchen, to provide a hot meal for those struggling with the cold winter.

“We’re also appealing for donations of warm clothing for the homeless and rough sleepers across the town, so we can continue to help for more than just one day.

“Our residents and staff are all very motivated to do their bit for the local community, as we have received and continue to receive a lot of support from others in the past.”