Kirkcaldy gran helps to feed the community with soup

A grandmother from Kirkcaldy has been making giant pots of soup to help people in her community who have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

Sheila Clark (81), from the Linktown has been putting her soup making skills to the test as she prepares more than 70 meals at a time to help families and vulnerable people who are self-isolating and social-distancing.

The massive pots of lentil soup, which only cost £14 to make, may be the only meal that some people eat that day as it has become increasingly more difficult for vulnerable people to leave their house due to the ongoing lockdown.

Sheila said: “I have lived in the Linktown all my life, the street that I live in is really nice and quiet so it is a very nice place to stay.

“Since the lockdown started it has been horrible, I can’t go out at all, the only time I have been able to go out is when I go to the community centre to make my soup. It really has been terrible, I’m lucky I have a garden as it means that I can get out for some fresh air.

“I’m always in my garden. I collect animal garden ornaments, I think I have every animal that you can think of, I have big planters in the front garden as well that are ready to bloom.”

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Sheila says that since the coronavirus crisis started the people of Kirkcaldy have come together to help each other out.

“Kirkcaldy has really come out well since all this has started, all the people in my scheme are going the extra mile to help one another, there are a lot of people who are struggling nowadays, it’s hard for everyone. I think when this is all over more people will appreciate their community a lot more.

“Everyone is helping where they can, the shopkeepers here in the Links have been very good as well, making sure people can get what they need.

“My grandchildren are in a pipe band and have been coming to my street every week to play for me and all the other people in the street. They have also been outside care homes as well to help cheer all the residents up,” she said.

Sheila had the idea to make the soup after learning that so many people in the community were struggling, she said: “Whenever there is an event on at the community centre I make a big pot of soup, so when I heard that people were struggling I thought ‘why not try to help out’.

“I chose to make lentil soup because it is the cheapest to make, I can feed more people for less money, it only costs about £14 to feed around 70 people. When I make it I’m in the kitchen on my own to make sure that I am still sticking to the social-distancing rules.

“The soup pot is so big I need some help to lift it and it has to be taken outside to be cleaned.

“I’ll make the soup as long as the coronavirus is here and people need help. It’s good for all the old folk that can’t make it themselves, I like making the soup and helping out, it’s a long day in the house on my own so it gives me something to look forward to.”

If you would like to make Sheila’s massive pot of soup all you need is:

Seven packs of lentils

Four bags of carrots

One onion (the size of a human head)

Vegetable stock

Salt and pepper

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