A grandmother’s love has inspired one Angus volunteer to help locals “simmer doon” during the coronavirus pandemic.
Teresa Sharp from Montrose has put together bags containing all the ingredients to make a hearty pot of broth – with pictures and instructions to encourage children to learn the culinary skill.
Nail technician Teresa has been volunteering with Voluntary Action Angus but came up with the idea of the “simmer doon soup bags” after thinking back to time spent with her gran Emma Bessie Alsop growing up in Eastbourne on England’s south coast.
Teresa said: “She lived until she was 87 and although she died almost 20 years ago, I was wondering what she would have made of this situation and what she would have done – and the first thing would have been to make a pot of soup.
“Feeding her family wholesome, home cooked, nutritious and locally-sourced food would have been so important to her, and there are a lot of hungry tummies out there just now,” added Teresa.
“It would also have been important that the whole family be included in some way – I remember standing on a stool washing vegetables from an early age.
“Those precious thoughts and memories inspired me on, trying think of how I could help my community in some small way, yet still keeping those values my grandmother held so dear, at the forefront of my initiative,” added Teresa, who has also previously been involved with Montrose’s community Christmas lunch.
“The paper bags are environmentally friendly and contain absolutely everything needed to make a pot of soup, all people need to do is add water.”
The Montrose YM building has been pressed into action as distribution point for the soup bags and Teresa plans to keep the initiative going throughout the crisis.
“Absolutely everything has been donated from local farmers and businesses. I’m very conscious that it’s a tough time for our farmers, but they have been so supportive,” she said.
“It has really taken off and we have also had great support from Rossie Young People’s Trust who have made brownies, badges and rainbows to hand out with the bags.
“The YM MoHub will be the main pick up point for people if they would like to collect during daily exercise, but for the socially isolated our volunteers are able to deliver within Montrose,” she said.
