Local businesses are taking steps to help the homeless this Christmas.
Yummys, a café in Knotty Ash, has decided to open its doors on Christmas Day to provide free full English breakfasts for local homeless people.
After a life in care and unfortunate circumstances, Simon Whitter ended up homeless himself, which is what has motivated him to do something to help those most in need.
He said: “I was lucky I wasn’t homeless at this time of year, its cold just walking to the shops never mind sleeping out in it. I’m not doing this for any other reason than I’ve been there and I was lucky enough to turn my life around.”
He is also hoping to do drop-off breakfasts. As well as a meal, the café wants to offer free phone calls to visitors in the hope of helping them reconnect with family at this special time of year.
Free Cakes Liverpool have offered their services and will donate cupcakes for the day.
Whitter continued: “I think the government needs to look at our own country and open some of these old buildings up to provide secure shelter for these people. As a society how can we ignore what is on our doorstep.”
While the cafe has enough food for the day it is looking for donations of gloves, hats and warm clothing to give out as gifts on the day.
Also in the city, the Shoebox Full of Love initiative, which hands out a shoebox full of non- perishable items for those most vulnerable at Christmas, have teamed up with Evil Eye Burrito in Smithdown and Maquires Pizza to help the homeless. They will be offering their signature foods for £1 when you drop off a shoebox and include a card containing kind words.
Corny Redmond, from Huyton, who started the shoebox campaign, said: “All we want to do is give a little gift and put a smile on the faces of the peoples who have nothing to smile about.”
The first event, Burrito for £1, will take place in Evil Eye on Smithdown Road this Sunday November 29th.
The second will be held on Saturday December 5th in Maguire’s Pizza Bar on Renshaw Street, where customers will be able to swap their shoebox for a £1 pizza.