BUTTERSHAW school students and residents are benefitting immensely from a new breakfast café, offering free food and a safe space- but the initiative will only last if funding can be secured.

Café South, based at the Buttershaw Youth Centre, is a community initiative set up by, Saif Khan of Saif Spaces, was launched last month, to provide students with breakfast and space to ‘hangout’ before school.

The café has already seen a handful of regular users, who are making the most of the facilities and space available to them.

Saif said: “I’m extremely proud of the turnout we’ve had so far and we’ve had some really positive feedback from the students and residents.

“There is such a demand for this café and we’re seeing people come and more people coming along with them.

“In the first two weeks of opening, we’ve got nearly 20 people registered, which is where we wanted to be.

“We’re already understanding that this isn’t just a free breakfast, students are using it as a time to catch up with friends before school and it’s working as a good transition.”

Café South is now looking for funding to help keep the initiative going longer.

With the current amount of funding the project will only last nine weeks, but Saif is keen to get local businesses on board.

He added: "We’ve had people come in and give us tea and coffee, which has been really helpful and one woman has offered to volunteer.”

The café provides a breakfast consisting of toast, bagels, beans hashbrowns and scrambled eggs and is open every morning between 7am to 8.20am.

The space also has a pool table, a tv and a quite room for children to use at their leisure.

The café shuts for students at 8.20am every day, giving them plenty of time to get to school and then a second session will accommodate parents and locals who can come and get breakfast but also seek support from services such as the Green Doctors, the debt agency and local mental health services.

Saif said: “I’m really hoping to get some local business on board or secure some funding to keep this initiative going.

“I think we now know it’s an important service, so I’m hoping we get something sorted.”