Chippy will offer free food to the homeless at Christmas

Festive cheer will be on the menu as a chippy offers free food to the homeless on Christmas Day.
Festive cheer: Owner Zia Ul-Haq has organised the event.Festive cheer: Owner Zia Ul-Haq has organised the event.
Festive cheer: Owner Zia Ul-Haq has organised the event.

Lightwaves Fisheries, on Lower York Street, will work with charities to serve fresh food to those with nowhere to go on Christmas Day.

Shop owner Zia Ul-Haq doesn’t celebrate Christmas, but hopes the day will help to spread festive cheer.

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He said: “This is something new for us. Christmas Day is a chance to get together with family, but a lot of homeless people don’t have family they can go to. We were going to be closed a few days over Christmas anyway, so we thought we’d open up and help people.”

Mr Ul-Haq will recruit volunteers to serve food on the day, and is working with his suppliers to ensure fresh food is available.

He said: “I get my fish fresh from Manchester and the supplier is closed over Christmas.

“I normally pick it up from the guy myself. I’m really picky when it comes to serving food.

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“They said they’d store it and freeze it for us for a week or so, so it will be fresh when we do fry it on the day.”

The shop is working closely with charities, including Marsh Way House and Community Awareness Programme (CAP), to approach those who may benefit from the free meal.