Journalists at a daily newspaper have come together in aid of a busy soup kitchen whose work they highlighted in a special report.

The Irish News carried a four-page feature about the work of St Patrick’s Soup Kitchen, which has seen demand for its services rise tenfold in two years.

After Irish News reporter Marie Louise McConville spent an evening at the soup kitchen, the paper’s staff from all departments came together for a donation drive.

Food, toiletries, clothes, toys and nappies were among the huge number of contributions.

Volunteers at the soup kitchen

The soup kitchen, which is based a short distance from the paper’s Donegall Street headquarters, has seen the number of people through its doors each weekend increase from an initial 20 when it was founded in 2017 to an average of 240 in recent weeks.

The facility now also offers a food bank, where people in need can receive emergency food parcels, and a clothes bank.

News editor Noel Doran said: “We expected that our coverage would make an impact with readers but the way in which our staff also got involved was really heartening.

“It was a tremendous effort and I think they deserve the highest praise for their efforts.”