Kirkby takeaway owner plans to extend 'free food for homeless' offer into daily scheme

A generous Kirkby takeaway owner who is offering free food for the homeless once a week wants to turn it into a daily scheme.
By Andrew Topping
Published 13th Jun 2019, 14:56 BST
Mr Zaman with a homeless customer.Mr Zaman with a homeless customer.
Mr Zaman with a homeless customer.

Mohammed Zaman, owner of India Food 2 Go on Lowmoor Road, started the project in May where he offers free meals to homeless people on Monday evenings.

However, after hearing the story of a homeless customer who visited his restaurant and after running the scheme for a few weeks, he wants to ensure "homeless people are fed every day".

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He has urged residents to direct any rough sleepers to his Lowmoor Road restaurant to keep them fed and warm.

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Mr Zaman with a homeless customer.Mr Zaman with a homeless customer.
Mr Zaman with a homeless customer.

Mr Zaman said: "We served a lovely homeless man who was very polite and shy in his approach.

"The gentleman was soaked because of the the heavy rain. Thankfully we had blankets and coats to offer which were kindly donated by Agnetha Jean Bustard.

"I can’t put into words of how I was feeling. I wish I could have done more, much more. It's difficult to understand seeing someone living in the UK in this condition.

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"I know one thing and that is charity starts at home, so please direct anyone you see that is homeless towards India Food 2 Go."

Mr Zaman's scheme aims to provide food and blankets to homeless people on every Monday of the month.

But he said following the launch of his project that it "makes much more sense" to run the scheme daily, and has encouraged residents to donate to his restaurant in order to launch a new "voucher" offer.

He added: "We've had a lot of people who want to donate so I thought I'd make this happen.

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"So if someone wants to give something back to homeless people they can bring in money or clothes to our restaurant and we will ensure it goes towards the rough sleepers.

"I plan on adding a pin board so if someone donates money, I can turn it into vouchers and when someone comes in they can exchange the voucher for a free meal.

"It makes sense turning it into a seven-day scheme because homeless people need feeding every day, and this should not be the case in the UK in 2019.

"Our doors remain open to anyone homeless. We welcome them to come and get a hot meal, and any help with warm clothes and basic essentials."

The Indian restaurant is open daily from 5pm.