Singer Will Young Commends Newbury Soup Kitchen’s “Incredible” Work

Singer and Pop Idol star Will Young has stated that a soup kitchen located near his birthplace is performing “incredible” work. Young, a patron of the Newbury Soup Kitchen, described it as a “vital service” for residents of the Berkshire town. He is scheduled to perform at the charity’s third annual fundraising event on Friday 22 November. Meryl Praill, the Founder and CEO, indicated that this year’s fundraiser is particularly crucial because the charity must secure a new location by March 2025. The organization has received notice to vacate its current operational unit and is actively seeking an alternative site to house its commercial kitchen, food storage, offices, and two vehicles. “We already have a community hub but we need a building to put it in,” Ms Praill explained. Ms Praill established the Newbury Soup Kitchen in 2017. She recounted, “It started with somebody coming off the street and I fed him and got to speak to him.” Ms Praill continued, “He didn’t have any support, he didn’t know what was going round. And then he needed a haircut and he needed his nails cut and I thought ‘well, that’s easy’.” She then purchased a pair of shoes for him from a charity shop, adding that “and it just grew from there.” Young, who was born in nearby Wokingham, noted that the demand for the charity’s services has risen in recent years. He stated, “The Soup Kitchen has become a vital service… not just for food, but for health, for counselling, haircuts, dentistry, clothing – everything.” According to Ms Praill, this fundraiser could be the last of its kind. She mentioned, “We’re thinking of doing something different next year.” The event will take place at the Vineyard Hotel in Newbury and will also feature Rob Rinder MBE as auctioneer and compère. Young commented, “We raise a lot of money,” adding, “We have such a laugh.” You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.