Birmingham cafe offers free coffee to homeless in freezing weather

A Birmingham cafe is offering homeless people a free coffee in a bid to spread some warmth in current freezing temperatures.

Following the extremely cold weather in the city – where temperatures are dropping to minus 5 degrees during the day – Yorks Bakery Cafe have begun offering customers a free coffee, for them to pass on to the homeless and needy.

Richard Trueman, from Yorks Bakery Cafe in Stephenson Street, said the city had a “huge problem with homeless people” and that his customers wanted to help them in some way.

He added that he hoped it would “break down barriers” between businesses and the homeless.

Customers at the cafe have also been leaving cash donations following the initiative.

The Birmingham City Council has set up Change Into Action, in partnership with the Mayor’s Homelessness Taskforce, to address rough sleeping across the West Midlands.

According to the coalition of twelve different community organisations, the number of people sleeping rough on the region’s streets has increased 157% over the last 3 years.

The Change into Action website states:

“The knock on effect is increased pressure on the support network that helps rough sleepers, teams that are committed to working with individuals to provide accommodation, hot meals, medical treatment and ultimately a better future.”

Founded in 2012, York’s Cafe have three outlets across Birmingham city centre, with branches in Colmore Row, Stephenson Street and at the Ikon Gallery.