A professional pilot who once needed a similar hand when homeless in London in the 80s, is planning to open Athlone’s first soup kitchen on bank holiday Monday, October 29.
Oliver Williams (46 ), has been running a similar enterprise in his home town of Galway for the last four months and feels that it’s time for Athlone to have such a premises.
He plans his second, appropriately named Twist soup kitchen on John Broderick Street, opposite Dunnes Stores.
“We started in Galway four months ago and it’s a roaring success. I believe an outlet is badly needed in Athlone,” said Mr Williams.
“We’re feeding 85 a day in Galway and it’s slowly rising. We see a lot of people in Athlone out of work, there’s businesses closing down, and there’s a big drug problem. People are more ready, and I so believe Athlone needs this,” he added.
Mr Williams started by funding the kitchen himself without any city or Government funding, but now operates it entirely from charitable donations.
“We rely on the kindness of the food outlets in Galway, and we’ll be asking people in Athlone for the same. We’re also looking for volunteers, but people are very generous,” he said.
He explained that “many years ago” he had to spend a few nights on the streets of London, and he found a similar enterprise which “gave me a hot meal and a friendly face”.
“I never forgot it and said if I ever could I’d do that in Galway,’ he added.
Now, with a premises secured, his Twist kitchen idea is expanding to Athlone.
