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Newbury Soup Kitchen wins big at Greenham Trust’s Charity Awards 2024 at Newbury’s Corn Exchange




Newbury Soup Kitchen was named charity of the year at this year’s Greenham Trust’s Charity Awards.

It was a dazzling night of celebration on Thursday, November 7, when representatives from local charitable organisations filled the Corn Exchange for the second annual awards event.

The winners of the Greenham Trust Charity Awards 2024
The winners of the Greenham Trust Charity Awards 2024

The evening, hosted by radio and television presenter Ken Bruce and sponsored by Newbury Building Society, acknowledged and rewarded the achievements of many worthy local charities and individuals.

Newbury Soup Kitchen picked up the night’s biggest award, and was also named charity of the year for the disadvantaged.

Newbury Soup Kitchen founder Meryl Praill said: “I’m really chuffed and humbled to be recognised by an organisation such as Greenham Trust.

“This award will shine a light on the soup kitchen. We have only been around for a short time and the need and demand to us is getting greater.

“I am so proud of the people around me. We have nearly 60 volunteers who helped make this happen.”

The winners of the Greenham Trust Charity Awards 2024
The winners of the Greenham Trust Charity Awards 2024

The Watermill Theatre Outreach was named community charity of the year, All Yours Period Box CIC was named health and wellbeing charity of the year, Speen Community Café was named small charity of the year and Berkshire Youth was proclaimed the young people charity of the year.

Matt Walburn from Swings & Smiles was given the fundraiser of the year award, Bridge for Young People’s Tim Dyson was named trustee of the year and Mike Jones from the Newbury Community Resource Centre was named volunteer of the year.

The West Berkshire Mencap Friendship Skills Volunteer Group was given the volunteer team of the year award and the best community event award was given to Newbury Pride.

Paul Millard from Newbury Cancer Care received a special achievement award.

Greenham Trust chief executive Chris Boulton, with host Ken Bruce
Greenham Trust chief executive Chris Boulton, with host Ken Bruce

Greenham Trust chief executive Chris Boulton said: “The charity awards is an opportunity to acknowledge all that’s great about the charitable and voluntary sector in West Berkshire and North Hampshire.

“It is important to put the spotlight on charitable organisations and individuals in the local community who work hard every day to make things happen.

“It’s nice to pause and celebrate all that’s good about the sector.”

After the presentation of the awards at the Corn Exchange, many guests made their way to the after party at the Waterside Centre to continue the celebrations and dance the night away.



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