A NEW crowdfunding initiative is hoping to stir up some great ideas in Swindon.

Swindon Soup – a new initiative supporting good causes – will host its very first event next month in a bid to give a new project a much-need injection of cash.

The idea behind the unusual form of crowdfunding is to support ideas in the town that have never quite got off the ground in the past due to a lack of funding, or those that have been unsuccessful in securing grant funding.

The evening event will hear from residents, community organisation or would-be-entrepreneurs – all with the common goal of kick-starting something to make the town a better place.

Fiona Simpson, project manager for Swindon Soup explained how the process works. She said: “People come along, make a suggested donation of £5 and hear up to four groups or individuals pitch their idea on how they’ll make their part of Swindon a better place.

“Everyone enjoys some delicious soup, a little local entertainment and chat with other soupers, deciding which scheme they would wish to support. During dinner, everyone votes for the scheme they love the most and at the end, all the door money is given to kickstart that project.

“By the end of the evening, everyone has got to know more about different neighbourhoods in Swindon, made some new friends and helped at least one idea get off the ground.”

The first ever Swindon SOUP takes place on Thursday, December 3 at Arclite House in West Swindon from 6pm until 8pm. During the evening those attending will be hearing from pitchers Inner Flame, Wrong Shoes Theatre Company and Meet, Eat & Learn Community group.

The concept of Soup was founded in Detroit in 2010 with the mission to promote community-based development through crowd funding, creativity, collaboration, democracy and fun. In the intervening five years more than $85,000 has been raised to support new projects.

Fiona said: “This is an amazing opportunity to put community and social enterprise in Swindon on the map. We know that Soup projects up and down the country have made a tremendous difference to people’s lives and we have the same high expectations of all we can achieve together, here in Swindon.”

Anyone wishing to attend the first Swindon Soup event should email swindon.soup@ex-c.co.uk or visit www.swindonsoup.com for more information.

They are also seeking other groups or individuals to pitch at their 2016 events. It costs nothing to enter and Swindon Soup is open to groups already working in the community as well as those with a good idea that they want to take forward.