A NORTH Belfast café has received a £1000 donation from the Noah Donohoe Foundation to fund 500 free breakfasts for local children.

The money was donated to Use Your Loaf on the Antrim Road which earlier this month started a free breakfast club.

It was one of several recipients of funding from the Noah Donohoe Foundation, which was set up in memory of the St Malachy's schoolboy whose body was found in a storm drain in North Belfast, six days after he went missing in June 2020.

St Malachy's College has also received £2,000.

John Kelly, owner of Use Your Loaf, said the money will go a long way in helping provide breakfast for local kids.

"We would like to thank the Noah Donohoe Foundation for donating 500 breakfasts for kids," he explained. "This will help us a lot in the constant struggle with the cost of living crisis.

"I want to thank Fiona Donohoe. This means a lot to us and will go a long way.

"Our free breakfast club is on every morning from 7-10am. To any kid that needs a breakfast before school – or pensioners – you are all more than welcome.

"We are also doing a lunch for pensioners in our shop which will be a bowl of soup and some fresh wheaten or a roll. Please to do not hesitate to call.

"No one should have to choose between heating or eating and we also want to thank everyone that has donated through our app. Together we will make a difference."

Niamh Donohoe, Noah's aunt, added: "Noah's birthday is approaching next week, we had discussed making grants to mark it this year.

"A few people have come forward and nominated charities and groups that would greatly benefit from grants from the Noah Donohoe Foundation and Use Your Loaf was one nominated.

"There are so many people struggling and good people out there trying to help the most vulnerable in society and Use Your Loaf is helping feed children in Belfast that need it.

"What better place for Noah's Foundation to be able to help. We hope we can continue to help more people going forward just as Noah would have done in life and no doubt would want us to do with his legacy.

"We can't bring Noah back but we can continue to do good in his name via the Noah Donohoe Foundation".