In June we helped raise the profile of 15 small charities in Portsmouth and Southampton through our SOUP crowd-funding programme.
VCSEs were invited to pitch a project idea to an audience and win over £500. SOUP events also provide a great opportunity for networking and making connections so even if your VCSE isn’t the lucky winner you may find alternatives routes to put a project into action.
Huge congratulations to all those who took part. We loved meeting you all and hearing your ideas.
We facilitated the pitch events and coached our ‘candidates’ to build compelling pitches. Three SOUP events took place in Portsmouth and Southampton. Here is a round-up of who pitched and who took the overall prize.

Portsmouth – URBOND
Winner: Jamie Hornal, Anonymous Climbing Club
An opportunity for people in recovery from addiction. Small group of 6 people would be brought together over a series of 6 sessions to learn how to climb. The funding will pay for entrance fees, equipment hire and transport to the location.
Lekeysha C Glynn, Keyz to fitness
Group fitness sessions to help ladies from ethnically diverse backgrounds to build confidence away from a gym setting. They were hoping to buy more equipment and potentially rent a hall to keep sessions going in the winter months.
Hollie Sherred, Max Easton and Alice, Enableability
Group sessions for adults with learning disabilities to take part in ‘Get Active for Interactive’. Sessions would include swimming, yoga, tennis and wheelchair basketball.
Calum, Urbond
Running weekly basketball sessions for teenagers during the school holidays.
Syed Elahi, Moulvibazar District Association Portsmouth
A community cricket event to unite the Bagladeshi community in Portsmouth
Southampton – Thornhill
Winner: Mike Allot, Plus You Limited
Running Tai Chi classes to improve mental and physical health within his local community.
Claudia Murg, We Make Southampton
To promote and advertise Green Walks in urban Southampton
Colin Gaynor, Walking and Talking with Veterans
To help promote a walk and talk service to veterans as a way of encouraging individuals to seek help if they need mental health support.
Southampton – Mansel Park
Winner: Shatki (Gayathri Sathyanath)
Creating a safe space for South Asian women through yoga, crafts, coffee mornings and health workshops to boost confidence and wellbeing.
Awaaz FM Community Radio
Spreading the message loud and clear: mental health matters, and it’s always okay to speak up.
Jessica Teeling
Co-designing a series of healthy lifestyle dance classes to get fit and learn about how exercise can support brain health.
Hampshire Indian Community
Helping newly arrived migrants feel like part of the community through nature walks, cricket matches and support.
Would you like to know more about SOUP?
You can find out more about our SOUP events by reading our blogs and news stories.
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