SOUP! is growing from success to success and will be back at its new venue in iconic Wells Cathedral on Saturday April 26 to reach a remarkable milestone.

By 3pm that afternoon this grant-giving lunch will have benefitted 100 local charities and good causes since it launched in 2016. Held at first in Seager Hall on Union Street with a maximum capacity of 60, the audience grew and a larger venue was needed, so Wells SOUP! moved to a bigger hall at the Connect Centre. There were tables for 90 but sometimes it was full and people had to be turned away.

However when this grant-giving lunch went to the cathedral in January this year here was room for 120 – the largest audience yet. It was a huge success and future SOUP!s will happen there.

The next one on Saturday April 26 will start at 1pm with Wells Youth Club telling how the £350 they went away with at January's grant-giving lunch has been used. 

Here are the charities that will be presenting and what they do:

·      The Lawrence Centre supports older vulnerable people.

·      Wells Theatre Festival stages community plays and children's shows.

·      Wells Macular Group supports those with this vision deterioration.

·      Windsor Hill Wood Refuge for people recovering from a major crisis.

"Given the success of the January SOUP! for the first time in the cathedral, we're delighted that future SOUP!s, including our next on April 26 will now all take place in the cathedral," said Ross Young, who leads the group of volunteers that run this quarterly event. 

"Very many thanks to the Dean and Chapter for being so supportive. Please arrive no later than 12.40pm, as we had to turn away late comers in January."