Soup For Warmth/Soppa För Värme

In 2005 some University students in Lund not far from Malmoe got the idea that something had to be done against the colder and egoistic trend in the Swedish society. So they invented a non-profit organization called “Soppa För Värme”/Soup For Warmth”. They stood in central Lund handing out warm soup, coffee, bread, cakes to passers-by once every week. Everyone was welcome to participate or to come and eat and drink. It has attracted lots of people of various kinds. When the students moved to Malmoe in 2007 they took the concept with them here. Soup For Warmth has been an active organization visible on Värnhemstorget/The Defence Home Square, (approximately ten minutes walk from where I live) since 2007. The volunteers who are active, (ten to 15 of them), stand on the Square every Saturday between noon and two p.m. from October to June. The people who participate as volunteers have changed over the years, and those who started it are no longer there. The idea to spread compassion, warmth and stand up for an including society with acceptance and down-to-earth understanding has been a winning concept. Those who volunteer are a mix of University students, well educated people, and working class heroes and do so because they wish to do something good for the society we live in. That’s the general idea with Soup For Warmth.

Soup For Warmth now also has a web page called http://www.soppaforvarme.se. They’re also on Facebook and might be reached on e-mail at info@soppaforvarme.se. When I passed them on the Defence Home Square/Värnhemstorget yesterday after having been on an errand downtown for a photo session I decided to interview the volunteers. I have met some of them before and they know about my weblog. As so often in associations like these there is a welcoming and accepting atmosphere, and the SFV was no exception. They are sponsored by Scandic Hotel near Triangeln with soup, 150 portions every time. Scandic Hotel has just taken over that role after Hotell Radison Blu who has acted as deliverer of soup from 2007 until just a couple of months ago. SFV gets cakes and bread from Konditori Katarina while Café Grannen nearby is where they keep their tables and chairs and also sponsors with coffee. They are also sponsored with coffee, plates, cakes, fruits, bread, and advertising help by among others Astrid & Aporna, Gateaux, Svensk Cater, Morot & Annat, Huhtamaki, Clarion Collection Hotell Temperance and City Network.

When I stood there interviewing yesterday lots of people came by, many elderly people, middle aged, men and women, as well as children. One man there happened to have his 40th birthday yesterday, and one volunteer decided that we all should sing for him. So of course we all did. An elderly couple, a man and a woman, said that they recognized each other from their school days, and a little girl at about the age of ten asked about the cakes. I learned that the SFV always have lots of guests, and even if some people look at them with frowning faces or lack of empathy most passers-by seem to see the need for it, especially in days such as these. Since the global financial crises in 2008 and onwards the understanding comments for associations like SFV have increased. It was nice talking to them, and they do a great thing. Similar things are needed on many places on Earth, both here in Sweden and elsewhere… Or what do you think? What are your suggestions or solutions? If you want to contact the SFV you migth do that on the addresses above or maybe start something similar. If you want to comment this text or any other you might do that here or e-mail me on anders.moberg676@gmail.com

Anders Moberg, October 20th 2013