BUSINESSES across Furness and South Lakeland are being urged to support a community kitchen which provides meals for the homeless and people struggling on benefits.

The service, founded in Barrow by John Wright and Sharon Foden, is the only one of its kind available for those in need at weekends, but to survive it needs donations towards its rent.

John and Sharon said they wanted to help those affected by benefit cuts after hearing a story of a former soldier who died of starvation at his home.

Between 50 and 70 people attend the community kitchen each week, with the youngest person attending only two weeks old and the eldest 94.

Now there is now talk of establishing a similar service elsewhere in Furness.

John said: “We have people from all walks of life coming in. You don’t realise how bad it is until you have been at the kitchen for a few hours and you hear the stories there.”

Andy Milliard, from Smokie’s bar in Kendal, gave a cash donation to the community kitchen towards the rent of St Matthew's Community Hall in Barrow, where the community kitchen is open once a week.

Andy said: “As a business we feel very strongly about helping the people of our area. As business owners we are better off than most, we should help those worse off than us. Hopefully other businesses will follow suit.”

Barrow Community kitchen is open on Sundays from 3pm-5pm, but the founders are looking to extend opening to two days during the weekend as well as establishing another facility in the area.

“We are very inclusive, and don’t just concentrate on certain group of people, like the homeless”, Sharon said. “You don’t have to be on low income to come to the community kitchen. For example, if you are lonely, you can come in.”

The community kitchen is looking for donations towards the rent, as well as tombola and bingo prizes.

For more information, see the Barrow Community Kitchen Facebook group or email barrowsoupkitchen@outlook.com