It's a cold January morning in Beeston and already a rail full of winter coats has attracted attention from passersby. It's not just the rail but the big cauldron of soup and box of cobs is on standby ready to go as people slow down to ask if they can have some.
Goodman House care home in Chilwell Road has just launched its soup kitchen along with a coat drive for those in need. The soup is made on site with vegetables donated from local businesses such as Hallams and curry boxes from nearby restaurants Lagan and Yak and Yeti. The coats and soup are available every Friday from 1pm to 3pm.
For many struggling with the cost of living, energy bill increases or homelessness, it's a chance to grab a warm meal and have a bit of a chat. Soup Kitchen founders Kate Loosemore-Poole and Emma Hickling have also added the gazebo to give people a bit of privacy while they stop by.
"We weren't sure how the coats were going to go at first because of people's pride. It's quite sad when you reflect on the number of hangers left behind each week. We realised people were just taking the coats and not stopping to take the hangers because they didn't want to be seen," Emma explained.
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"That's why we put the gazebo up as well to make it a little bit secluded and private for people. The number of people struggling would surprise you. We've given out over 200 coats and now we have scarves and hats. Parents have been taking the scarves and hats for their young children."
The soup kitchen is part of Goodman House, which is a care facility for younger adults with complex needs. It focuses on long-term support and re-enablement, including neurological and mental health diagnosis.
The kitchen started with the coat drive and its success gave Kate and Emma the inspiration to introduce the soup. The soup changes each week and Kate makes sure to ask those who stop by what their favourite soup is so they can make sure to add it to the roster of recipes.
"We need to get the word out there to those who need it. In the first week, we were just handing out soup to passersby asking if they wanted some. The response from the community has been phenomenal. This morning, we hadn't even started the soup and already we had someone ringing our bell to ask if we could have some," she said.
Those who live at Goodman House can take part in the soup kitchen by helping to set up the gazebo or handing out soup. David Adams, 22, joined the house after a motorbike accident which left him unable to walk and struggling to talk.
He has had a long recovery time after the accident which left him on life support before he joined Linden Lodge Unit at Nottingham City Hospital, a unit for neuro rehabilitation. He is now at Goodman House and has shown incredible progress.
"I was in a really bad motorbike accident and spent three years at Linden Lodge before I came here. I help with the soup kitchen and I am part of the maintenance team at Landermeads. I love it here and this is the best life," he said.
Kate added: "When we met David, he wasn't able to walk or talk but through his perseverance and courage, he got where he is today."
"I remember watching David walk down the stairs here for the first time. My heart was pounding but it's a miracle, it really is," Emma said.
Family member Stephen Barlow has been living in Goodman House for a year. "I have MS with additional complexities so this is the best place for me here. I've been in other care homes before but it's so much better here. I've made loads of friends here," he said.
Those living at the house, or family members as they are called by the team, can get involved in the kitchen if they want to, which encourages them to meet new people.
Despite the cold, everyone who stops by is greeted with a friendly smile and a chat. Two men slow down to try on different sizes of coats while another has a warm cup of soup and a cob. A third person stops to say bless you to Adam, Kate and Emma for doing what they do.
"It's about getting the community together so we sit down and chat. We have a gentleman who recites poetry and an Eastern European gentleman who comes with his daughter. It's about showing people a bit of love, isn't it? Kate said.
When it comes to the future, the team are looking at what they can do for the community to adapt in the warmer months.
"We will start looking towards the summer and what people need. We won't just do this until February then nothing. We also want to do sexual health products which can be done discreetly, like the coats," Emma said.
Kate added: "We want people to spread the word if they see someone in need and donate when we post on social media. That would be great. People can also drop off coats here as they go very quickly."
