Surge in demand at cafes

A CHARITY offering free hot meals and advice experienced a surge in demand over the summer months.

Taught by Muhammad’s (TBM) five support cafes in Dundee fed an average of 390 people per week during July and August.

During term time, schools supply free meals to pupils in P1-3 and to all whose parents are on low incomes.

The support cafes usually welcome an average of 240 people per week but, with youngsters off school, more f amilies turned to the charity for help.

Rizwan Rafik, operations manager at TBM, said the demand showed how important the cafes are to locals in the five areas – Douglas, Charleston, Kirkton, Fintry and Stobswell.

He said: “We’re so pleased to have helped so many people throughout the summer at our weekly support cafes.

“Demand i ncreases drastically outwith term time and we are there to help plug the gap.

“Over the summer months, we saw almost double the number of visitors that we usually see.

“Initiatives like these are vital to our community. The increase shows there is a demand for our support cafes.

“Not only do people get a hot meal, they also socialise and get advice on many issues.”

The Fintry and Kirkton cafes were added last year and a fifth opened in Stobswell in January.

In total, 2,340 people were fed from July 1 to August 12.

The cafes also featured activities for children to help keep youngsters active and entertained. FOUR trainee pilots from Hong Kong have received their “wings” after travelling all the way to Dundee for flying lessons.

Thomas Wong Kwan Ho and Raymond Liu Hoi Woi have completed their 20-hour scholarship while Patrick Chi Fung Cheung and Conrad Pak

Yin Lee-Full have achieved their full 45-hour private pilot’s licence (PPL).

The Tayside Aviation students will now go on to pursue their commercial pilot’s licence which may lead them to working for a major airline in Hong Kong. A BUSI NESS ow ner is hopi ng CCT V foota ge will catch “opportunist” thieves who made off with items of sentimental value from his work van.

Neil Anderson, of Anderson Plastering Services (APS), said he had been left “devastated” by the break-in on Kirk Street.

The 41-year-old, from Lochee, said a wedding ring, engagement ring, Rotary watch and a paddle mixer – a type of tool for mixing materials – were among the items taken from his blue Renault Traffic van.

A spokesman for Police Scotland confirmed officers were investigating the theft from the vehicle which took place between Tuesday and Wednesday.

Neil said his vehicle was being repaired at a nearby garage and had been parked on the street when the break-in took place.

He said he fears the items may have been sold on.

“I have been driving in a courtesy van while work has been carried out on my own van at a local garage,” he said.