Worthing Soup Kitchen: Speedo Mick comes to Worthing to support Shout as charity takes on its first commercial premises

By Elaine Hammond
Published 21st Oct 2021, 13:50 BST
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Speedo Mick, one of Britain’s most famous charity fundraisers, is supporting Shout (Street Homeless Outreach) as it moves Worthing Soup Kitchen into its own premises.

The charity was founded by Khristina McCormack at Teville Gate about nine years ago and has grown to provide regular food parcels, furniture, a breakfast club and more from various locations in Worthing.

The SpeedoMick Foundation has agreed £3,000 match funding to help Shout open a zero-food waste cafe in Tarring Road, which will also serve as a base for outreach work and a night reach service.

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Speedo Mick, aka Michael Cullen, stopped off in Worthing yesterday to meet Khristina and some of the volunteers to learn more about the project at the former Streets Cafe.

Charity fundraiser Speedo Mick is on the home leg of his 2,000-mile charity walk across the UK and Ireland. Picture: Habibur RahmanCharity fundraiser Speedo Mick is on the home leg of his 2,000-mile charity walk across the UK and Ireland. Picture: Habibur Rahman
Charity fundraiser Speedo Mick is on the home leg of his 2,000-mile charity walk across the UK and Ireland. Picture: Habibur Rahman

Khristina said: “This will be our first commercial property. The cafe will act as a training platform during the day and then from 5pm to 8pm, we will close it to run the night reach service.

“We have the funding to pay the first year’s rent in advance but we need to raise more money to refurbish the kitchen and totally kit it out.

“Speedo Mick came to meet us on the beach, where he went for a swim. He is a lovely man, very inspiring. He has lived experience of homelessness and this is his way of giving back to people.

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“Homeless people are our main priority. It will be run as a cafe every day with clients in recovery working on the premises, which will act as a training platform. They will gain experience and I have work placements lined up so they have somewhere to go on to when they are ready.

Speedo Mick with Jo Easey, community champion at Morrisons Worthing, who gave him some goodies and a voucher to help him on his waySpeedo Mick with Jo Easey, community champion at Morrisons Worthing, who gave him some goodies and a voucher to help him on his way
Speedo Mick with Jo Easey, community champion at Morrisons Worthing, who gave him some goodies and a voucher to help him on his way

“Many of them say the biggest problem for them is having nothing to do, so that will give them the skills and it will also help build a community.”