Coffee, Crisps and Company

The SVP began its weekly homeless soup run in November 2012. Initially it was only once a week, reaching about 10-15 homeless people, with only tea, coffee and sandwiches. Now, however, we have expanded to two nights, reaching nearly 50 homeless people each week with tea, coffee, soup, sandwiches, crisps, chocolate, pasties, pies, sausage rolls, hygiene products, blankets, sleeping bags, hats, scarves, emergency bags and most importantly, company and conversation! In fact, we are even discussing expanding to a third night now due to extra demand to go out and help!

It’s quite incredible to think that all this began after a chance encounter with a homeless man called Joseph. Joseph was sitting on a bench in Manchester City Centre and instead of asking for change, he asked for some gloves or a scarf, basically anything to keep him warm on what was a very chilly November morning. Initially, the plan was to get Joseph and other homeless people some clothes for the upcoming winter months but this quickly spread to all of the above ideas.

SVP MUSCC Preparing food for homeless run

For me, the homeless outreach acts as a central tenant on ‘showing our works’ as Catholics and SVP members. It’s about doing what little we can for those with almost nothing themselves, whether that’s materially or in their connection to society.

The spiritual reflection by Fr. William at the end of our meetings has been a great addition to my experience of SVP work. For me, if there was one Gospel passage that ought to encourage our SVP work, it is the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats. At its heart is the idea that it is not the big, high-profile things that matter most to God but the simple acts of feeding the hungry, clothing the naked and visiting the sick or lonely.

Thanks to all who have helped over these past few months, either by coming out to help or donating supplies, you can be sure that all this work has done a huge amount of good for the homeless people in Manchester.