Cornish Cafe Receives Community Support for Free Christmas Day Meals

Lou Rose, owner of Ost Eatery in Truro, has announced that the local community has strongly supported her cafe’s initiative to offer complimentary meals to those in need on Christmas Day. Ms. Rose stated that volunteers would welcome individuals to the cafe on December 25 at 13:30 GMT. The cafe aims to serve meals to people who might be alone or “simply haven’t got the funds.” Ms. Rose remarked, “Everyone in the community has really been backing us and has been behind it.” She further explained that approximately 70 customer donations, collected through a £15 “pay it forward” scheme, have funded the meals. Additionally, visitors to the cafe will receive a Christmas present to take home, according to 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,” Ms. Rose commented. She shared that she and her children previously resided in London, where they regularly volunteered during the Christmas period. “When we moved to Cornwall I tried to find somewhere where we could take it up again and help out,” she noted. Ms. Rose explained her decision to host the event at her own establishment: “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.” She emphasized the personal significance of the endeavor, stating, “I think it’s really important for my children to grow empathy for others, so it’s purely out of caring.” Follow BBC Cornwall on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk.Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.