Soup party raises $1,000 for charity

A soup tasting party in Scaur Hill has raised $1,000 for charity.

The event, annual for the neighbourhood, was held on March 23 at the home of Rotimi and Sheryl Martins.

Donations were collected over a month for the chosen charity, Friends of Hospice.

Roger Lambert, a resident of the neighbourhood explained how it all began.

“My Scaur neighbourhood used to have a Block Party up to about 2,000 from the early 1990s.

“My sister and I were talking before Christmas 2001 about the good times we all had then and we missed the camaraderie of the neighbours getting together.”

He continued: “I like keeping healthy, exercising and eating plenty during Christmas times.

“So I said: ‘Let’s have a neighbourhood soup party after the Christmas period and use it both as a social and start eating better, ridding the body of some of that extra weight from Christmas, as we all make soups from the ham and turkey anyway.”

Mr Lambert said in 2004, the charity aspect was incorporated into the event.

In 2007, the neighbourhood started the Charity Salad Party, usually held around Labour Day.

“The goal is to help keep the neighbourhood folk and friends socialising amongst each other, think eating healthy and give some funds to a charity.”

Mr Lambert said Friends of Hospice was chosen this year for both events.

The total amount raised at the Soup Tasting was $1,007. n