St George's Cathedral, Cape Town

The Arch

The Arch is the Soup Kitchen, the Cathedral's main Outreach to the people living on the streets of Cape Town. It is in operation each weekday morning from 09h00 until about 13h30, for the provision of soup and bread, together with shelter and a friendly atmosphere. People sit here, out of the winter rain or the summer heat.

We also help a little with the provision of clothing, which is collected from Cathedral parishioners and other friends. Another important activity is educational; there are volunteers who give some guidance and informal instruction in the way of art, literacy and numeracy.

The Arch is staffed by three Cathedral employees: a manager, a cook and a general assistant, but their roles merge. They are supported by volunteers, some of whom work in the facility itself. These are mostly young people from Europe, who are in South Africa for a year or a few months as a break from studies, to gain experience of the wider world. Volunteers from the Cathedral parish itself are mostly older people, who attend to the administration of The Arch.

We are indebted to the Community Chest for a grant of money, and we are also supported financially by some members of the Cathedral parish. Visitors to the Cathedral donate money via the collection box we have at the back of the nave, and there are some visitors who establish contact between our needs and their own parishes at home, so that we receive some help from countries abroad too. The people who receive the food give a little money in payment if they can, but this is obviously minimal. So we do struggle financially and are very grateful for donations.

We welcome visitors to The Arch, if anyone would like to see it in operation.

Banking details, for anyone who would like to contribute to the work of The Arch, are as follows:

BANK: Standard Bank
BRANCH: Adderley Street, Cape Town, 8001
BRANCH CODE: 020009
SWIFT CODE: SBZAZAJJ
ACCOUNT NAME: The Arch
ACCOUNT NUMBER: 070484465

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