Minus 4 tonight my husband has just breezily announced. It only serves to remind me that I’ve been worrying about a couple of people in my village with the cold snap. I just read an article that said that Nine elderly people died every hour from cold-related illnesses last winter against a background of soaring energy bills.
The official figures showed that the number of deaths linked to cold over the four-month period reached 25,400 in England and Wales, plus 2,760 in Scotland.
Charities and energy company critics claim the UK has the highest winter death rate in northern Europe, even worse than much colder countries such as Finland and Sweden.
And here I am in my warm( ish) house, eating my supper, and I got hit by a lightening bolt of a thought. I heard that there are over 60,000 food blogs in the UK.. so I’m challenging you right here right now to make a difference and take part in Random Soups of Kindness. We Bloggers are a community and we can make a serious difference as individuals or as a group.
If you know and elderly person or couple who are close to you, even if you have never ever spoken to them, take them some hot soup. I‘ve approached my favorite supermarket to see if they might be able to offer the busier / non cooking types amongst us to donate some tinned soup .. but I am asking you can you help? Take a moment.
If you can take part I’d be utterly delighted and will do a round up post with all the recipes and stories here in 3 weeks time o he 22nd February ... and who knows what good your bowl of soup will do .. I KNOW we can make a difference as food bloggers unite.
To take part just add your comment below e-mail me recipes@VanessaKimbell.com and write your blog post about what soup you make ( a recipe would be great or just which tin you choose) and who you took it to ... with a link back to this page and display the logo in your post.
I’m off to make some Butternut squash and dill soup for an elderly lady that I am worried about across the street.
Vanessa
x
YES! I am IN for this Vanessa! MY only hope is that someone does the same for my elderly parents in Yorkshire, my dad has just got out of hospital with pneumonia....we have several elderly people in my village and I am going to give them soup next time I make a batch! THANKS for this, you are a star!
ReplyDeleteKaren
Lovely selfless idea Vanessa - you have a big heart!I actualy did this last week - we have some almshouses near us and I took a big flask of chunky vegetable soup with pearl barley and some warm cheese scones as well! It was a big hit. Will repeat this week (somewhere else) & blog this time! Thanks for always thinking up new ways to be special xx
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic idea Vanessa, I've stacks of stock in the freezer, so next batch of soup I make I'll take some to elderly neighbours.
ReplyDeleteNow I had better find the flask!
Jude x
i've got a bit of a soup obsession at the moment - I just need to find myself an elderly person to bestow it upon as i'm guessing my in-laws don't count?!
ReplyDeleteLovely idea
ReplyDeleteSuch a thoughtful idea Vanessa - you've done it again. Sure this will be hugely successful - thanks for the inspiration.
ReplyDeletesuch a lovely idea V... there is a dear sweet old love a couple of doors down and I know she'd love a bowl of warming soup... lovely xx
ReplyDeleteI'm in - as Aesop said "no act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted"
ReplyDeleteWhy, Vanessa, I do believe you have a very cunning plan, count me in darling.
ReplyDeleteThis is a wonderful idea, especially in a winter where rising fuel prices and cuts in the winter fuel payments mean that some elderly people will need to make the very real choice between eating and heating.
ReplyDeleteSoup will give them extra heating, is cheap for you to make too, and will really mean that people will have a little extra for heating as well.
I have spread this message as widely as I can. I am also making my elder neighbour some Dutch pea soup. He is a very generous man, who is always willing to help out, but won't accept anything in return. This is also a brilliant way for me to repay a little of his kindness, without hurting his pride. Thank you for the way to help me do this too!
I've been doing this with a person I know that lives alone and has been struggling to pay for heating and food. I made her some soup and fresh bread and invited her round to share sunday lunch with us. Small thing but really helped and cheered her up ;o)
ReplyDeleteA fabulous idea. I will be doing this.
ReplyDeletelove love love it!^^ can I share your post on my twitter?
ReplyDelete