Student's meal charity helping tackle food poverty

Aishah Ahmed said she was inspired to set up her charity after witnessing food poverty in Weston-super-Mare

A 21-year-old university student's meal charity is helping to tackle food poverty in her town.

Aishah Ahmed set-up Aishah's Food Charity in 2023 after seeing people struggling with the cost of living in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset.

Her dad, Syad Ahmed, cooks more than 250 free meals at his restaurant Pappadoms Takeaway every week, which are given away to homeless charities and handed out to people in need by the family.

"I said to my father, we need to do something to help people because in Weston they're really struggling," Ms Ahmed said.

The charity provides 250 free hot meals every week

She added: "Anyone can come in, I won't judge, if you need it you need it - you don't need to explain anything to me.

"You don't know what someone is going through, so I don't judge a face being like 'you don't need food' - I let anyone come in."

Ms Ahmed, a law student at Bath Spa University, said it was during the coronavirus pandemic that she first noticed food poverty in Weston-super-Mare.

"It's more than a free meal for many," she said.

"I have helped people by giving them food but now when they come they don't just see me, they see new friends that they have through me making the charity."

The charity hands out 100 to 125 meals to people every Wednesday evening and a similar amount throughout the week to homeless shelters.

Volunteers also deliver meals to homes if someone is unable to pick one up in person and the charity also works with local schools.

Syad Ahmed helps his daughter by making the weekly free meals at his restaurant

Her father, Mr Ahmed, said: "The children always helped me out with charity work from a young age.

"But when Aishah said she wanted to do her own charity, I said I would help her to cook and supply the food."

A team of volunteers also helps, including Kacper Smeja, who said the charity had inspired him.

"I never really had a lot of money myself but you don't need money to help others.

"This has helped me learn you can help others no matter your situation," he added.

James collects a curry every Wednesday and said the meals make a "big difference"

James collects a curry every Wednesday and said he was "very grateful" to the charity.

"It makes a big difference to me and my everyday life.

"We're all struggling, everything is getting more expensive and places like this make a big difference," he added.

As a registered charity, the meal service can receive funding and donations but Ms Ahmed and her family cover most of the costs themselves.

She was awarded a High Sheriff's Award last September and added that she hopes to make her family proud with her charity work and also by becoming a barrister when she finishes her degree.