A Southport man said the camaraderie of his fellow fundraisers and the thought of who he was raising money for inspired him to complete a hilly four-day coast-to-coast cycle ride to support Southport Soup Kitchen.
Dad-of-four Andrew Carney has raised over £4,000 for the charity after his 200-mile journey from Carlisle to Bewick-on-Tweed.
He was able to secure a further £10,000 for the soup kitchen through an appeal he made during a moving speech at the Voluntary Aid Club in Liverpool.
The former chair of Southport Rugby Club and Southport & Birkdale Cricket Club is keen to raise as much money as he can for the vital community facility operated by Marie Buchanan and her team from their base on London Street in Southport town centre.
Andrew’s wife, Celine, is among volunteers there.
People can donate here: Andrew Carney is fundraising for Southport Soup Kitchen
Southport Soup Kitchen has seen an overwhelming demand for its service since the Covid pandemic.
It needs to raise funds to expand the number of ovens on site as well as increase the number of hobs from four to eight, while also providing more cupboard space.
Southport Soup Kitchen was founded in 2002 to provide hot meals and help for those in need in the local area. In hard times, their message to people is – ‘don’t suffer in silence, we are here to help and support you when you need us’.
Run entirely by Marie Buchanan and her team of dedicated volunteers, Southport Soup Kitchen provides hot meals and drinks as well as food parcels and resources including toiletries and other daily essentials.
Andrew Carney said: “It was a tough ride! It was very beautiful and scenic, especially cycling through Northumberland, but with a series of challenging hills to tackle.
“It was the camaraderie with the other riders that kept pushing me on, along with the thought of everything that Marie and the team at Southport Soup Kitchen do on a daily basis to support people and families in our community.
“It was a privilege to be able to raise money for them.
“I’d like to thank everyone for donating to the appeal, which has raised over £4,000.
“There were 15 of us taking part in the ride, led by David Eyres, with others riding to raise funds for Wythenshawe Heart Hospital.
“We tackled around 50 – 55 miles each day. The first day we had Hadrian’s Wall, and there were some really difficult hills.
“There were a couple of crashes, although no serious injuries, and several punctures, but we kept going.
“What was lovely was when we cycled through some of the villages, and people were coming out to give us donations, or to cheer us on. There was an ice cream van which stopped, with the owner coming over to give us some money!
“It’s things like that which really spur you on.
“We all kept each other going. It was brilliant to phone Marie at Southport Soup Kitchen at the end of the ride and to say to her ‘we’ve done it!’
“We all spoke a lot throughout the event. It was a good opportunity to be with other people and talk up Southport.
“Over the past year there has been a huge determination by so many people to respond to last summer’s tragedy in a very positive way.
“There have been lots of things happening with people just wanting to get out and make a difference to support others. Southport has been very much in fightback mode.”
With no official government funding Southport Soup Kitchen relies on donations from individuals and businesses to continue its work.
Southport Soup Kitchen is open on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 1pm to 2pm for its free takeaway hot meal service. On Sundays it also offers a bag of basic provisions to those who require one.
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