Soup’s On fundraiser helps pottery guild and Sudbury charity

It’s a unique fundraiser: people buy a ticket, pick a hand-crafted bowl and are treated to homemade gourmet soups.

The annual Soup’s On fundraiser is back at St. Andrew’s Place this weekend after a three-year hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s a pottery guild for the community,” said Marc Noel, the president of Sudbury Basin Potters.

“And next year we are celebrating our 50th year. So people that are interested in pottery, we have a studio on Lamothe Street. They become members and the studio is open to them and they get a key and it’s 24/7. So they can go in and it’s fully equipped.”

Funds raised support the operation of the community potters studio.

“It is a real community spirit and it’s important because we don’t have these programs at a college or university anymore,” said Marjorie McEwen, a member of Sudbury Basin Potters.

“They used to be there but they are not (now), so this is close to the only outlet for anybody who wants to do pottery.”

The guild has more than 100 members.

“To join we require people to take our hand-building class first so they get the basics so they know how to work with clay,” said Noel.

“And once they have finished the class they can become members and it’s $120 a year.”

The guild said it’s grateful to Seasons Pharmacy and Culinaria for donating one-third of the gourmet soups for the fundraiser.

Officials with Sudbury Basin Potters said 25 per cent of the proceeds from the fundraiser will be donated to the Blue Door Soup Kitchen as the group’s way of helping to keep the soup on to feed people in need.