Across Hull, the cost of living crisis has pushed hundreds of minoritised families to the brink. Rising energy tariffs and soaring grocery prices have forced mothers to make unbearable choices between heating their homes and feeding their children. For many women living in temporary accommodation, hotels, or asylum lodging without functional cooking facilities, access to a hot, culturally familiar meal is nearly impossible.
In response to this growing emergency, Hull Sisters established our daily soup kitchen and communal dining table.
Every weekday, our hall transforms into a bustling dining space where more than 80 women and children gather to share breakfast, tea, and warm, freshly prepared lunches. Over the past reporting year alone, our volunteers have cooked and served more than 10,000 hot meals.
What makes this achievement even more remarkable is the reality of our current facilities. Because our premises at Unit 12 lack a dedicated commercial gas connection, oven, and extraction canopy, our team has prepared thousands of meals using little more than a portable camping stove. Despite high utility expenses and limited cooking appliances, our staff and volunteers keep the doors open for extended hours during cold spells to ensure women and children have a heated space and a plate of food.
Alongside daily meals, our community foodbank distributes emergency food hampers, infant formula, and sanitary items sourced through generous public donations and our ongoing partnership with FareShare.
The Hull Sisters soup kitchen is far more than emergency food relief. It is a gathering space where women sit together, share laughter, break isolation, and find the strength to face tomorrow.
