Cost of living: Coventry cafe owner who used food banks helps customers

A cafe owner who has struggled financially herself has set up a scheme to help customers.

Hannah Hoffman, 26, has started "pay-it-forward" at Hungry Bellies in Coventry, meaning customers can donate money towards food for others.

She said people could donate "a little bit of spare change" and staff would then create a ticket to be used by someone needing help.

Miss Hoffman said she was "grateful" to be able to use food banks previously.

"I remember back in the day, having to go to food banks and carry all these bags home, and that was what you were going to have to eat for the next week or so," she said.

Her family's circumstances "changed overnight" when her father died suddenly when she was aged nine, she said.

It meant the family had to cover the mortgage and bills on one wage.

"My mum did the best she could and there's no fault to play - it's just circumstances change and I'm very aware of that," she said.

"This is why after seeing the scheme elsewhere on social media, I thought this was an excellent way for me to be able to give back and help people that might find themselves in similar situations, or any situation for that matter."

She said customers who had a "little bit of spare change whether it be a pound or whether it be a little bit more than a pound" could pay it forward and staff would create a ticket.

Miss Hoffman, who has run the cafe in Belgrave Road since July, also appealed to those needing help.

"If you are feeling a bit down on your luck recently and you haven't really got a lot of spare money to your name to last you through to the end of the month, then we're saying 'you can come here, we're a safe place - come and grab a ticket off the wall'," she said.

"We will prepare it free of charge, no judgment needed, because everyone deserves to have something to eat."

Miss Hoffman said they were also there to listen and did not want people to be alone.

"Although we do not have massive funds or resources, we want to start building these connections so that we can better help the community in what seems to be very dark and uncertain times," she added.

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