Birmingham Cafe Offers Free Christmas Meals to Those in Need

A cafe in Birmingham is set to provide complimentary Christmas dinners for vulnerable and elderly individuals on Christmas Day. Kath’s Cafe and Irish store, situated in Druids Heath, will be donating a roast dinner to anyone facing financial difficulties and unable to afford a meal. Owner Kath Coogan reported that 30 meals have been requested this year, following the provision of 85 dinners last year. She informed the BBC that the local community’s Christmas spirit has supported her in conducting this appeal for three and a half years. Ms. Coogan told BBC Radio WM: “It all started when one of our customers who looks after her 92-year-old mum came in and asked if it was possible that we prepare a meal for them to sit down and have on Christmas day.” She added, “A couple of customers overheard and they asked too and it was born from then.” The cafe begins cooking the meals a week in advance and freezes them. Staff members include instructions on how to reheat and defrost each meal, and deliveries are made on Christmas Eve. Ms. Coogan stated: “A lot of our customers saw on Facebook we were doing [the appeal] and offered to help deliver.” She continued, “So my band of merry men came in on Christmas Eve and off they went and made quite a lot of people happy.” Emphasizing community solidarity, she added, “The community spirit around here is amazing, we help each other where we can.” Local residents also contribute gifts for the recipients and vulnerable children in the area, which are delivered alongside the meals. Ms. Coogan remarked: “The fact that people were coming in donating gifts and offering to take people out, the Christmas spirit here is fantastic.” She concluded, “Hopefully we’ll pull it off again this year.” For more from BBC Birmingham, follow on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.