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Soup kitchen does 'incredible' work - Will Young

Elizabeth Vickers Photography Meryl Praill, a dark-haired woman wearing a black dress and a red and orange corsage, Will Young, a grey-haired man wearing a stripy shirt and a while blazer, and Rob Rinder, and blonde man wearing a black tuxedo. All three are smiling at the camera and they're in a room with a red wall behind them.Elizabeth Vickers Photography
Will Young and Rob Rinder also attended last year's fundraiser, according to CEO Meryl Praill (centre)

Singer Will Young has said a soup kitchen near to the town where he was born is doing "incredible" work.

The Pop Idol star said the Newbury Soup Kitchen, of which he is a patron, was a "vital service" for people in the Berkshire town.

He is performing at the third annual fundraising event for the charity on Friday 22 November.

Founder and CEO Meryl Praill said the fundraiser was even more important this year because the charity needs to find a new home by March 2025.

They have been given notice to leave their operational unit and are looking for somewhere else to house their commercial kitchen, food storage, offices and two vehicles.

"We already have a community hub but we need a building to put it in," said Ms Praill.

Elizabeth Vickers Photography Ms Praill, a woman with dark curly shoulder-length hair and wearing a white hoodie, smiling at the camera.Elizabeth Vickers Photography
Ms Praill set up the charity seven years ago

Ms Praill started the Newbury Soup Kitchen in 2017.

"It started with somebody coming off the street and I fed him and got to speak to him," she said.

"He didn't have any support, he didn't know what was going round. And then he needed a haircut and he needed his nails cut and I thought 'well, that's easy'."

She bought him a pair of shoes from a charity shop "and it just grew from there".

Getty Images Will Young, a man with light blonde hair and grey stubble and wearing a white shirt, smiling at the camera. There's a white marquee and some bunting behind him and it's a sunny day.Getty Images
Will Young said the charity was doing "incredible" work

Young, who was born in nearby Wokingham, said the demand for the charity had increased in recent years.

"The Soup Kitchen has become a vital service... not just for food, but for health, for counselling, haircuts, dentistry, clothing - everything," he said.

The fundraiser could be the last of its kind, according to Ms Praill.

"We're thinking of doing something different next year," she said.

It is taking place at the Vineyard Hotel in Newbury, and will also feature Rob Rinder MBE as auctioneer and compère.

"We raise a lot of money," said Young.

"We have such a laugh."

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