Project M.O.R.E:

Social justice and action has always been a feature of the history of the Pilgrim Church.  More recently one of our members has been inspired to set up a project around providing soup for the homeless. 

Yvette Taylor was inspired to follow up an incident she saw that made her angry and challenged that anger for a fairer and more compassionate society.  Hears her story:

“Well a couple of years ago I was coming home from a late shift from work, coming home in the dark and the freezing cold. I suddenly I saw men lying on the cold pavement and I became aware that this was wrong – that a man should not be sleeping on a cold pavement in the freezing cold. I knew this was wrong and felt compelled to do something. After that I tried to do what I could to help. I would buy them a hot drink or food. Eventually I went to volunteer at Emmanuel House (www.emmanuelhouse.org.uk/site/) and brought bowls and spoons for them because I did not know what to do for them specifically. 

I gradually realised that I wanted to try and feed them and I learned how to make soup so I could feed them. This was the start of the project. 

For me it could only be God that could impress upon my heart the condition of these people that was not impressed on my heart before because it is the heart of God, it is how God sees it – it’s wrong. Here we have a man whom God made in His image, to have dignity and He made man the paragon of his creation and yet man is lying on the floor using a cold pavement slab as his bed – it is wrong. I did not come to the impression of this situation without the Holy Spirit revealing this to me – this is what I believe. “

 So why is it called Project MORE?

“The abbreviation MORE stands for Men Offered Relief thorough Evangelism.  I also like the connotation that if someone is poor or hungry and you’re giving them something they should be able to have more if they want it. So when I take soup to Emmanuel House I always take two pots so they can have more – so they are not still in want. When you think of the play – Oliver – he was a pauper of a boy and he asked for more and did not get it. I want the men to be satisfied and to have more.”

So what is the next phase?

“It is always giving food to the hungry. I now volunteer at ‘Hope Nottingham’ working in the ‘Hope Café I want to provide soup for organisations. By selling the soup I would like to be in a position to make enough money to generate funds to offer the soup for free.

If anyone would like to get involved they can buy the soup because the proceeds of the soup goes to the poor.  Please get in touch by contacting the Pilgrim Church, where we can make the soup available to you”.