Local Focus: The soup run warming the hearts and tummies of a Te Awamutu street

Wednesdays during the winter months in Te Awamutu are soup days for the residents of Palmer Street social housing units.

Volunteers from St Patrick's Catholic Church in Te Awamutu make the soup in advance and, at 4pm on Wednesday, it's reheated and delivered to people's homes.

The soup run has operated every July and August for the past four years, intiated by community stalwart Barbara Linton.

"Other churches were doing it in another part of town," volunteer Wilma Schimanski said.

"That inspired [Linton] to do it for the people here. Some of them elderly, others are living alone, and some have mental health issues."

Last Wednesday, was the first soup run for 2018 and first time fo volunteer, Diana Miller.

"I do like helping people where I can," Miller said. "And one of the good friends who started this [Barbara] has sort of handed it over to others and said to me 'they need you too,' so here I am."

Bubbliest of the volunteers Robin Duncan has the task of running the soup to the residents.

"I've had a good life," Duncan said. "And it's time to give back."

She rushes about the flats delivering pumpkin or pea and ham soups with a bread roll.

More than 30 cups of soup are served every Wednesday.

"Robin is great," said Schimanski. "She's up with the play around the town. She's always very positive. She likes talking to the people she knows if somebody needs a hand with something."

And for the residents, it's a warming meal in the depths of winter, and a chance for a quick chat and laugh.

"It's great, it's great. It really means a lot," Les Ashby said, holding his cup of pumpkin soup.

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