Soup-erb effort by hospital staff and volunteers helping homeless and struggling families
Generous NHS staff showed festive spirit in spades as they went above and beyond their busy day jobs by running a pop-up soup kitchen to help the homeless and struggling families.
Staff from The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust and Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust ran the soup kitchen at Holy Trinity Church in Short Heath on Saturday.
They provided hot drinks, warm food and gave out essential gift bags to up to 100 people.
Mykala Jackson, senior sister on Ward C25 at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton, said staff on the ward wanted to give something back to the community after all the support they were given during the Covid-19 pandemic.
To help raise funds for the food and gifts, staff ran a raffle and Mykala’s husband Aaron Jackson also raised around £1,200 for the items by running 100 miles in a month.
Mykala said: "Some of the nursing staff came to me and said they really wanted to do something.
"We were getting abnormal amounts of homeless people and people coming through saying they were struggling."
The volunteers also had a helping hand from businesses.
One Stop donated selection boxes while Aykam Sweet Centre in Wolverhampton donated 100 samosas.
Mykala said: "We've been giving out long-life food bags. People have had hot food and drinks.
"It's been an emotional afternoon listening to their stories. It puts things into perspective.
"They have been so grateful. They have been in tears, it's put us in tears.
"Some of them had to get three or four buses to get there.
"We paid for taxis to get them back because we've given them bags of food."
She thanked businesses and other individuals who had offered their support, and those who sponsored Aaron.
"We are so grateful to people who sponsored Aaron for running the 100 miles and the local businesses who donated to us," Mykala said.
"Staff have been overwhelmed and have asked if we can do it next year as well."
