Grandma’s Soup movement tackles loneliness in Sheffield one bowl at a time
Their goal is to win the battle against old people's loneliness by bringing young and old people together across the UK
One bowl at a time, soupl is helping to ease loneliness in Sheffield and bridge the gap between generations.
Grandma’s Soup is inspired by the work of the Oma’s Soep movement in the Netherlands, which has successfully brought generations together through cooking and shared meals for years.
They are building a national movement where generations connect through soup and shared moments, led locally by student teams who bring the energy and continuity needed to keep the movement growing.
Jieyi, a student board member at Grandma’s Soup in Sheffield, ran ‘Silver Sunday’ at Hillsborough Park on Sunday, October 4.
This was the second time the event, alongside other organisations and communities, brought different generations together to create shared memories over warm soup, treats, games, activities and live music.
Jieyi said: “Since the Sheffield team came together in March, we’ve already held two cooking day sessions with a local care home.
“What has touched me the most is that these events don’t really feel like young people simply “helping” older people.
“We chat, laugh, prepare ingredients and share warm soup together. And as a student participant myself, I’ve realised that the companionship goes both ways.”
By 2030, the hope is that Grandma’s Soup will be recognised nationwide for bringing generations together through meaningful, shared experiences.
They aim to build a strong, self-sustaining community of young and older people who connect through cooking, conversation and companionship - creating lasting relationships and tackling loneliness, one shared bowl at a time.
To reduce food waste, Grandma’s Soup picks up leftover vegetables and herbs at supermarkets and green grocers every week, and uses these fresh products during the cooking days.
To find out more about Grandma’s soup visit: .instagram.com/grandmassoup.sheffield