A LOCAL café in South Belfast is running a programme giving free breakfast to school children and lunch to elderly people to help with the cost of living crisis.
First Avenue Coffee on Ormeau Road is offering free breakfast consisting of cereal, toast, milk or juice for any school children from Monday to Friday, 7-9am and for seniors offers a free lunch consisting of either soup or stew, plus some bread and a cup of tea on Monday to Friday from 2pm to 4pm.
Owner Paddy O’Kane said he and buisness partner Shona Furey came up with the idea to give something back to those in the local community who might be struggling this winter.
“We brought it in at the start of December and we want to keep it going all winter, at least until the end of February. It’s due to the cost of living crisis and everyone struggling at the minute.”
Paddy said the café had become a community hub on the Ormeau Road:
“We know there are people out there who can’t afford to come out sitting in their house in the cold. So if there’s somewhere they can go and see a friendly face and get a warm bowl of soup or stew then it’s all the better for it.”
Dropped in with @garymckeown to say thank you to First Avenue coffee who are offering a kids breakfast & seniors hot lunch to those who need it in their Ormeau & Stranmillis shops. Fair play to them. You can also drop off presents for the @BallynafeighCDA family appeal #community pic.twitter.com/1wHo7Wreo2
— Claire Hanna (@ClaireHanna) December 17, 2022
Paddy said the café would continue the scheme until at least the end of February, but would keep it going longer if needed.
