A KIND-HEARTED Evesham business is offering a cup of kindness to strangers with the launch of the town’s first ‘suspended coffee’ scheme.
Vicky Lawson is getting set to offer Evesham its first taste of suspended coffee, a unique scheme which aims to inspire kindness in everyday life.
The movement started in Naples, Italy and has since become popular in Bulgaria and now Vicky hopes the scheme will prove popular at Amber Café.
Customers pay in advance for a coffee meant for someone who can’t afford one and who may really need an act of kindness.
Since buying Amber eight months ago, Vicky told the Observer she had been working hard to enhance the business with the introduction of homemade, high quality local produce.
“We are still developing the business and are working hard on the café to make sure it is a welcoming place for everyone,” she said.
“I saw an advert for suspended coffee on Facebook and thought what a fab idea this is
“When someone is feeling really in need, no matter the reason why, they can go and get a coffee in a nice warm environment with a friendly face. No questions asked.
“Regardless of the person’s appearance, if they ask for a suspended item they won’t be turned down. We don’t know their situation so we never prejudge.
“When we say ‘in need’, this doesn’t just mean someone who is evidently homeless or ‘looks’ like they are in need.
“It may be a single mother of four children who cannot afford coffee in this month’s grocery shopping, she may just need a coffee to get her through the day and a break while her kids are all at school.
“You may have a man walk in, well-groomed and dressed in a business suit – you may not think from appearances that he is in need but he may be in his 16th week of job hunting.
“It can be for a student struggling with exams. Suspended coffees is all about spreading a little kindness by paying it forward,” she added.
Vicky admitted she was aware people may not embrace buying another cup of coffee or the scheme could be taken advantage of by those not in need but said it was a risk she was willing to take.
“I called Rev Andrew Spurr, Vicar of Evesham, and asked him to reach out through his networks to let people know we had this service available for them.
“Andrew pointed out that there may possibly be more kindness in Evesham than I had appreciated and we might be overwhelmed with people wanting to purchase suspended coffee creating a surplus off coffees.
“If this occurs we will be donating the value of the excess coffee, in cash, to the local Foodbanks as this will still reach people in need directly and in the same spirit as the coffee was given,” she added.
