The Soup Dragon, an initiative of Hebden Bridge Transition Town Health group, is open on  Friday afternoons between 12 and 3 at Holme Street Arts centre (next to Hebden Bridge post office). Everyone is welcome to drop in and enjoy organic soup provided by Fern and Clive from the Nutclough and organic bread donated by Saka Bakery.  There are regular talks and workshops exploring mind, body and spiritual well being.

Soup Dragon member Helen Lasham said,

“Local therapists have been incredibly generous in offering their particular experiences of maintaining wellbeing. People are encouraged to take part in whatever suits them and try out new ways of supporting their own well being.  There are healing taster sessions on offer and a regular art table.

There’s also a small library of books aimed at encouraging those who attend to read up on ideas to help themselves.

All is offered on a donation-only basis. There is a strong recognition that giving does not necessarily mean money, and that everyone has something to offer.  There is a spirit of offering what you can to your local community, with the Soup Dragon facilitating.”

Soup Dragon welcomes ideas and practical support

The Soup Dragon welcomes anyone in the local area who wishes to share their experience of wellbeing.  Linda, Michelle, Helen, Anna, Rachel and Neti invite anyone with ideas to contact them through the Soup Dragon Facebook group, or call in at the Holme Street Art Centre on a Friday afternoon 12 – 3.

If you’d like to support the group, the following donations are particularly welcome:

• soup
• bowls
• soup spoons
• cups
• tea bags
• coffee
• fruit and herb teas
• healthy cakes
• biscuits
• home baked bread
• dry ingredients for soups
• cash
• volunteers

The Soup Dragon does not currently cater for parents with pre-school children, but they could open it up to parents with preschool children at certain times if anybody is interested in facilitating this.

All welcome on Christmas Day 

The Soup Dragon plans to open on Christmas Day for a shared Midwinter feast and Celebration.  This proved particularly popular last year and the Soup Dragon are looking forward to welcoming one and all again from 12 noon to possibly late evening on the 25th December.

Unconditional Basic Income – Soup Dragon discussions and petition

Recently a group interested in the European initiative for Unconditional Basic Income (UBI) have been talking to people at the Soup Dragon about a petition from a group of activists in Europe who have looked at the declining economy and come up with a solution offering a radical new way of thinking about how our economy works.

A non-means tested income for everyone in Europe seems like an impossibility, but the group feel the more you understand the idea, the more sense it makes. Governments throughout Europe are using economic Austerity Measures, with the result that working class people are suffering more and more.

People at the Soup Dragon noted that in particular, mental wellbeing is being affected by financial hardship.  An experiment in unconditional payment held in Canada in the 1970’s found an 8.5 percent saving in healthcare was attributed to better mental health.

Helen and Anna are available to discuss UBI at the Soup Dragon and a small group meet regularly to encourage people to sign the petition. http://sign.basicincome2013.eu