Warming Wellingtonians this winter

There’s nothing like a warm cup of soup to warm you up on a cold winter’s day, especially when it’s free.

This week, The Salvation Army has teamed up with five Wellington eateries to provide soup en masse – 1000 cups to be precise – as part of the organisation’s annual winter appeal.

The idea behind the week-long event is to raise awareness of the rising need for food, warmth and shelter that many Wellingtonians have at winter time, and public relations director Shane Chisholm says giving something out felt like a fitting way to get the public involved.

‘‘We like the concept of paying it forward so giving people the opportunity to receive something and then, hopefully, they’ll want to do the same for someone else.’’

This time last year, the organisation saw a 9.7 per cent increase in people needing help with food compared to the previous three months across the Wellington region.

However, Chisholm says local needs extend far beyond just food, with expensive power bills and unexpected doctors costs also making things hard for people.

‘‘The last thing you want is families to avoid going to the doctor because of cost. A head cold today could be pneumonia in a weeks time if you don’t get it sorted right away.’’

Chisholm was heartened by the number of restaurants that had been keen to come on board with the soup-based appeal, giving up their time not only to prepare the food but also hand it out at lunchtime.

‘‘The reception was fantastic. It’s a great opportunity for them to contribute to the community and be seen.’’

Le Cordon Bleu was the first off the mark, giving out the first 200 cups of warm soup on Monday to happy passers-by.

‘‘It’s about sharing and giving to others and that’s why we want to be involved in things like this appeal.’’

It’s always good to give back, pastry lecturer Thomas Holleaux says. ‘‘I think the Wellington mentality is to give and that’s what hospitality is about as well.’’

Two chefs worked on Sunday to prep everything for the ‘‘very traditional’’ French onion soup, which Holleaux says was an easy but nutritious choice for the winter.

‘‘It’s rich and full of protein to keep you going for the day.’’

PHOTOS: RUBY MACANDREW/FAIRFAX NZ One thousand cups of soup will be given out to Wellingtonians this week, with information about The Salvation Army as part of the organisation’s winter appeal. Five eateries are helping with the soup drive.

Le Cordon Bleu’s offering on Monday.