Staff will work tirelessly on Christmas day to make sure everyone is fed

Big-hearted owners of a Glasgow café have vowed to stay open on Christmas day until every homeless or vulnerable person has been fed a roast dinner.

Emmi’s Diner in the city’s Balmore Road put out a call on Facebook asking locals to nominate someone who is vulnerable and likely to be spending Christmas alone this year in the catchment areas of G20, G21, G22 and G23.

Staff also asked for volunteers to help serve meals on the 25th and were inundated with responses.

The post said: “Please ask them to give us a message or pop into our store and we will provide them with a full Christmas dinner, starter, main, and sweet completely free and also deliver it for them also on Christmas Day.”

Originally the post offered 1,000 meals but the café’s owners have now extended the offer to say they’ll offer free food to everyone in need.

Jamie Kelly, the café’s 29-year-old owner said how there is a lot of poverty in the north and west end of Glasgow and he wanted to do something to help.

“Some people have too much, others have too little and it’s time to give back,” he said.

“Poverty is a big issue here and foodbank use has risen drastically.

“We’ve got a corporate and social responsibility to those in need in the local area.

“We were expecting to deliver around 40 meals when we had originally planned around 20. The response has been absolutely amazing.”

“We don’t want to know who it’s going to. If there are vulnerable and lonely people in need, we’re here to help.”

Extra members of the delivery team are being drafted in to help dish the meals out on Christmas Day, along with small gifts which will be given to those in need.

Kelly added: “After this, we’ll be running a buy-a-Christmas-dinner scheme, where anyone can buy someone’s dinner for them.”

Emmi’s Diner is at 148-150 Balmore Road, Glasgow, G22 6LJ. Or visit Emmi’s Diner on Facebook