Pioneers staff launch soup evening

Rochdale Pioneers Museum

Staff at Rochdale Pioneers Museum have launched a soup evening. The plan is to meet on a regular basis to brainstorm ways to fund community projects which can reduce crime and increase a sense of community.

The first meeting took place on Thursday evening at the Pioneers Museum on Toad Lane at 6.30pm, with a view of making a more regular event depending on numbers.

Museum officer Jordan Diggle, who helped put the night together, said: “This is about the community coming together to take up upon themselves to improve the borough. It’s about micro funding community projects, talking through ideas, and making the most of a central hub which is provided.

“There has already been a lot of interest in this, so obviously a lot of people agree that this is a good idea for Rochdale.”

The original idea of a soup evening comes from an old folk tale called Stone Soup, where travellers could come together in the village and share their food and socialise. In modern times, a soup evening doesn’t necessarily involve food, but is still about members of a community joining forces. It is a popular event in the USA and parts of the UK.