Spotlight On: Open Door

The support at Open Door ranges from offering counselling, mental health assistance, aid with food poverty, crisis support, and addressing any other concerns causing distress to individuals. Throughout the year, they extend their assistance to individuals and families, with a particular emphasis on the busy period approaching.

The Easter school holidays are on the horizon, representing a time for many families to come together, relax, have fun, and indulge in chocolate. However, for some members of the community, the school holidays can be an anxiety-inducing period, especially for parents grappling with the current cost of living. For these individuals, the school break may mean increased utility bills, unpaid time off work, and worries about elevated grocery expenses. Such concerns are particularly common in households where children rely on free school meals and in single-parent families.

It was then decided that they would never charge children for meals at their community café.

To address the issue of food poverty within the local community, the charity at the Colne Open Door Centre has implemented a Kids Eat Free Forever policy. Under this policy, no child will ever be charged for a hot meal at their community café, and they even provide a complimentary ice cream.

The motivation behind this initiative stems from a poignant experience. The charity received a phone call from a distressed mother seeking assistance with a food parcel for the upcoming week. Upon learning that a food parcel could be prepared within the hour, the mother, a single parent with three boys attending a local primary school and relying on free school meals, expressed her anxiety about the approaching school holidays. Fearing she wouldn’t be able to afford to feed her three boys during this time, the charity assured her that they could provide a food parcel that day and another the following week. It was then decided that they would never charge children for meals at their community café.

Now, many children and families visit the Colne Open Door Centre for a free lunch and ice cream. This initiative not only ensures that children are well-fed but also allows parents to save money for other essential expenses, such as gas and electricity. For the Colne Open Door Centre, the focus is not just on making money but on making people happy.