Southsea homeless shelter and soup kitchen Lifehouse receives 'staggering' donation from Mill Rythe holiday village on Hayling Island

A HOMELESS shelter and soup kitchen in Southsea has received a ‘staggering donation’ – with more than £2,000 worth of food donated by a Hayling holiday village.
By Richard Lemmer
Published 22nd Jul 2020, 07:00 BST
Updated 22nd Jul 2020, 09:36 BST
Volunteers from The Lifehouse and Stephen Stockton, senior sous chef from Mill Rythe Holiday Village pack up the cars with donated food. Picture: Sarah Standing (210720-1579)Volunteers from The Lifehouse and Stephen Stockton, senior sous chef from Mill Rythe Holiday Village pack up the cars with donated food. Picture: Sarah Standing (210720-1579)
Volunteers from The Lifehouse and Stephen Stockton, senior sous chef from Mill Rythe Holiday Village pack up the cars with donated food. Picture: Sarah Standing (210720-1579)

The LifeHouse shelter in 153 Albert Road sent a team of volunteers to pick up the food from the Mill Rythe Holiday Village on Tuesday morning.

The donation comes after a redevelopment of the holiday village’s kitchen.

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With more than £2,000 worth of frozen and dried food donated, the shelter and soup kitchen is set to have enough supplies to last throughout the winter, according to manager Mike Morell.

Pictured is: (l-r) Carole Price, volunteer, Carmen Iuganu, guest services manager, Stephen Stockton, senior sous chef, Andrew Amey, second chef at Mill Rythe Holiday Village, Nikki Robins, volunteer, Mike Morell, manager and chair of trustees from The Lifehouse and volunteer Bob Crutchley. Picture: Sarah Standing (210720-1553)Pictured is: (l-r) Carole Price, volunteer, Carmen Iuganu, guest services manager, Stephen Stockton, senior sous chef, Andrew Amey, second chef at Mill Rythe Holiday Village, Nikki Robins, volunteer, Mike Morell, manager and chair of trustees from The Lifehouse and volunteer Bob Crutchley. Picture: Sarah Standing (210720-1553)
Pictured is: (l-r) Carole Price, volunteer, Carmen Iuganu, guest services manager, Stephen Stockton, senior sous chef, Andrew Amey, second chef at Mill Rythe Holiday Village, Nikki Robins, volunteer, Mike Morell, manager and chair of trustees from The Lifehouse and volunteer Bob Crutchley. Picture: Sarah Standing (210720-1553)

He said ‘It’s staggering.

‘We’re incredibly grateful and it will make a big difference.’

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The charity is open on a Wednesday and Thursday each week and provides individuals with hot food, drinks, clothes and also offers counselling and accessibility to short courses.

The donation comes as the shelter has seen some of its highest ever demand, with those in need of a meal increasing by 75 per cent, according to Mike.

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He said: ‘Last month, we had a new record of 82 people coming on a single night.

‘Before, 56 people in one night was the previous record.’

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The food delivery has come just in time for the completion of the LifeHouse’s refurbishment and expansion, with a new pantry providing twice as much storage space.

Southsea-based PMC Construction undertook the £15,000 expansion work pro bono, completing the project in the first week of June.

Mike added: ‘The timing is remarkable.’

The charity is now occupying the space previously used by a yoga studio.

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Mill Rythe Holiday Village, which can accommodate more than 400 guests, remains closed due to concerns about the spread of the coronavirus.

A statement on the holiday destination’s website said: (We have) had to seriously consider the reopening of Mill Rythe, putting the safety of our customers first and we’ve determined that it’s with great sadness we are unable to provide the Mill Rythe holiday experience for the foreseeable future.’

The holiday village had proposed plans to close the resort in July 2021 to undergo a £10m redevelopment into self-catering accommodation.

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Related topics:Hayling IslandSouthsea