Bridgwater Photography of a positive project for the needy
Earlier this year, Mecca Bingo launched a nationwide search to find people that have gone above and beyond to help their local communities through the Pandemic.
Kate who owns the Purple Spoon Cafe (located in the Bridgwater YMCA), has been working with her staff to provide an incredible 1000 free meals a week to those in need during the covid pandemic! With the help of fundraising and using her connections in the local Bridgwater community, individuals and families have been given support to help them through this difficult time.
Mecca Bingo contacted me as they needed some community photography as part of their campaign to celebrate local people who have gone over and above to help those around them. In this case the Bridgwater community.
Whilst taking the photos of Kate, I also learnt that Kate and her team prepared food and present parcels for locals during the Christmas period. Not only that, but she had the genius idea of contacting local night clubs and asking if they had coats in their lost property department that had not been claimed and could be given to the homeless or those in dire need. That’s amazing enough, but typically the coats have been sat in a room for a few years and have not been washed, so Kate and her staff have had the unenviable job of washing some very smelly coasts before they could be donated.
In the brief for the photography job, it was noted that the cafe needed to look ‘photo ready.’ However that was easier said than done as all the cafe tables were covered with boxes of pasta, cereals, tinned food and lunch bags being prepared. I did however identify that the counter was both the most attractive feature and also the tidiest part of the cafe. I simply needed to move a few boxes, see the angles I wanted in my mind’s eye and then instruct Kate and Holly where they should stand. Behind me and to the side, all the piles of boxes were hidden from view. I hasten to add it was a very organised pile of boxes, just not suitable for the photos taken.
As well as photos of Kate packing lunch bags and being presented with her award, Mecca wanted some photos of the cafe and some shots of Kate at work in her environment. There was some nice lighting and background aesthetics around the counter, so after walking around a bit and visualising the shots, I told Kate where and how to stand. The above shot wouldn’t have worked had I not asked her to grab a stool. There is a lower counter hidden from view and I wanted her pose to look and feel comfortable even if it may not have been in reality.
A well deserved gesture of appreciation for the work in the community by Kate and her staff.
Kate also runs a takeaway in Bridgwater town that sells plant based products such as falafels, pakoras and hummus. The website of her business Scoffage also boasts of how it sells dry items such as pasta, rice and dried fruit from dispensers to enable zero waste.
View more of my work for events and public relations photography in the local community.
Or take a look at some other commercial photography I do.