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Community helps cafe provide free Christmas meals

BBC Cafe owner Lou Rose is sitting on a beige sofa with a Christmas tree behind her. Lou is wearing a dark jumper. She has brown hair and is smiling at the camera. BBC
The cafe has received more than 70 donations to pay for the meals

The owner of a Cornish cafe offering free meals to people in need on Christmas Day said the local community had thrown itself behind the plan.

Lou Rose who runs Ost Eatery, in Truro, said volunteers would be welcoming people into the cafe on 25 December at 13:30 GMT.

Ms Rose said the cafe would be providing meals for people who may be alone or "simply haven't got the funds".

"Everyone in the community has really been backing us and has been behind it," Ms Rose said.

A leaflet left on the tables inside the cafe with details of the pay it forward scheme which costs £15. The leaflet is on a clipboard on a table.
Customers have made £15 donations to fund the Christmas lunches

She said the meals have been funded by about 70 donations from customers as part of a £15 "pay it forward" scheme.

Those who visit the cafe will also be given a Christmas present to take home, said Ms Rose.

"Everyone is just so friendly, so supportive and they come into the cafe and absolutely love it here. I think that's part of it, they want to help us," she said.

Ms Rose said she and her children used to live in London where they would volunteer locally every Christmas.

"When we moved to Cornwall I tried to find somewhere where we could take it up again and help out," she said.

"I couldn't find anywhere that would actually do it on Christmas Day, so now we have the cafe I thought we would do it here.

"I think it's really important for my children to grow empathy for others, so it's purely out of caring."

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