Alnwick Garden launches Souper Tuesdays to help families struggling to make ends meet

The community and education team at the Garden came up with the initiative after learning that six out of 10 British households are turning their heating down or off together due to rising energy prices.

Some are also having to choose between eating or heating their homes, which is why Alnwick Garden decided to do something to help the local community.

It has therefore won funding to turn itself into a ‘warm hub’, which means people can just drop in and warm themselves up, free of charge.

It is also providing people with hot drinks, soup and biscuits and staff hope to provide each new attendee with a thermal mug to take away. They will also be offered some groceries to help get through the week.

‘Souper Tuesdays’ will take place every Tuesday, starting on November 1, and will run weekly until March.

The day will be staffed by the community and education team alongside some very willing Alnwick Garden volunteers.

These staff and volunteers will receive basic energy efficiency training from Community Action Northumberland, so information can be passed on about cost-cutting and keeping warm throughout winter.

If they don’t have answers to people’s questions, they will be able to point them in the direction of the right agency.

A Community Fridge also operates at the Garden every Tuesday, to help prevent food wastage. This is being supported by the Co-op, which is supplying food items when available.