Flood of support for ‘ma’ Venetia

Cape Town - 150319 - Venetia Orgill feeds the homeless in the city centre every Thursday. She gives them soup and bread and a main meal. Reporter: Helen Bamford Picture: David Ritchie

Cape Town - 150319 - Venetia Orgill feeds the homeless in the city centre every Thursday. She gives them soup and bread and a main meal. Reporter: Helen Bamford Picture: David Ritchie

Published Mar 27, 2015

Share

Cape Town - A woman feeding the homeless in the Company’s Garden every Thursday evening has been overwhelmed by the support she has received since appearing in the Cape Argus on Monday.

Venetia Orgill said she couldn’t believe the reaction from people.

“You must see my Facebook page. Messages have been streaming in. I’ve even had calls from people in Australia and Ireland. They love what I’m doing and just want to know how to help.”

Orgill, who is also a drug activist, cooks meals every week for between 140 and 160 people. She is helped by her friend Erica Samson who found her own son in the Company’s Garden after he’d lived there for nine months while on drugs.

Orgill, who is fondly called “ma” by the people she feeds, said one of the dancers from the band Dejavu had taken her shopping to buy food for Thursday night. On the menu was pasta, homemade soup and bread.

She has also been interviewed on Cape Town radio stations including Good Hope FM, Bush and Smile this week.

“Nigel Pierce (presenter at Good Hope FM) has had me on several times. He also loves what I’m doing.”

Orgill said on Wednesday she bumped into one of the guys she feeds and he told her a man had picked him up and taken him home to have a shower. “He took him to a barber and gave him clean clothes. If only more people could get involved like that.”

In 2013, the Arch at St George’s Cathedral, one of Cape Town’s oldest soup kitchens, closed its doors after running out of funds and volunteers.

Cape Argus

Related Topics: