Local soup kitchen to open in the coming weeks
A new soup kitchen is in the pipeline for Longford town. The news emerged on Monday when owner of Twist Soup Kitchen’s Oliver Williams announced that he he had been “engaging” with members of the community in Longford, and a need for a soup kitchen had been identified as a direct result of that communication.
He was also speaking in the aftermath of the official opening of his new soup kitchen in Sligo, which follows the establishment of facilities in Athlone, Roscommon and Galway over the past year.
Mr Williams said that a soup kitchen was necessary in Longford town because of the high unemployment levels, and by virtue of the fact that there were many people who were “no longer able to make ends meet”.
“I have been doing my research in Longford town and have gotten great feedback about the establishment of a soup kitchen,” Williams told the Leader on Monday.
“Traditionally soup kitchens were associated with Famine times and then homelessness, but they are not associated with homelessness any more – soup kitchens are a sign of the terrible poverty that has emerged in our society in recent times.”
The local soup kitchen would be based in Longford town, and available to all those who sought to avail of its services.
Mr Williams also said that it was vital that the facility got the backing of the whole community, and pointed to the necessity of “embracing” the initiative.
“The irony is that despite the poverty – there is no shortage of food – so the idea behind the soup kitchen would be to bring the whole community on board,” added Williams, who is originally from Athenry, Co Galway. “It would be a community run project and one that would be embraced by the whole community. It will be based in Longford town.”
A suitable premises to house the soup kitchen is currently being sought and the Leader understands that it could be just a matter of weeks before the county town secures its first soup kitchen.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Weather for Longford, Ireland
Tuesday 18 June 2013
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 9 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: West
