Homeless and hungry people in Swindon are getting the chance to enjoy their five-a-day thanks to town charity Big Breakfast Plus.
The charity, which provides breakfast seven days a week from its base at The Pilgrim Centre, is now offering fruit bags to its visitors, to take away with them after their meal.
In the first week alone, nearly 1,800 pieces of fruit were given out, with guests able to choose what they wanted from a wide range including bananas, grapes, apples and plums. Apricots proved particularly popular!
Charlotte Mannion, the charity’s Chair of Trustees, said the fruit scheme – which they’ve called Your Five-a-Day Plus – has been funded by the Government Household Support Fund, allocated by Swindon Borough Council.
“We were unexpectedly offered £3,000 by the council from the Government Household Support Fund, and we all thought offering fruit would be a good addition to the breakfast we already provide,” she said.
“It’s gone down very well with our guests, who are enjoying this extra food we are able to offer. They take a paper bag and can select what they like. As soon as people heard about the scheme, we also started to receive donations from generous members of the public, who have brought in apples and plums.”
Big Breakfast Plus is the only charitable organisation in Swindon providing a free cooked breakfast, cereal and toast, with unlimited refills of hot drinks and an opportunity for people to meet and socialise in a warm and inviting place.
It is open from 7.30am to 9am every day and relies on donations to keep running. For more information, visit https://bigbreakfastplus.org.uk/.