Cardamon Spice, Forres giving away a meal a day, four days a week, to people who really need them
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A RESTAURANT in the centre of Forres is giving away a meal a day, four days a week, to people who really need them.
Cardamon Spice owner, Hussain Ahmed, is making the gesture to support the community that he feels has supported him during the coronavirus pandemic, when so many people are unable to work or support themselves.
Hussain said: “Food is essential for everyone and some people in our town are struggling with so much, let alone feeding themselves!
“If you know someone who needs support, please get in touch. Please don’t struggle on your own or feel ashamed to reach out, we respect your privacy and will maintain it.
“The community has helped me, so I am happy to give something back!”
Hussain’s generosity was inspired by memories of visiting his parental homeland in Bangladesh.
He said: “My parents used to take me back to their Bengali villages on holiday. During festivals the community would come together to fish, harvest, and slaughter livestock. Kids would come and be offered food to take back to their families. My dad would try to make sure all the families who didn’t have much money or resources had food and their basic needs met. He grew up with them so knew their struggles and wanted to be of service.”
He added: “I receive a lot of joy by being of service in any way I can. I treat people the way I want to be treated too – the way I
have been by neighbours, friends and strangers – with kindness.”
Hussain’s neighbours have helped him repair his home and also look after his pets when he is away. They have shared supplies of home grown fruit and vegetables too. And when he had difficulty renewing the restaurant’s alcohol licence with Moray Council due to a technical error, a number of locals wrote letters to the local authority in support of his business.
He said: “During personal crises I learned what it’s like to need support and how it can be difficult to ask for it. When I did ask, so many kind people made themselves available. Forres and the surrounding area has a very generous population.”
Cardamon Spice is giving away one free freshly cooked meal of beef, lamb, chicken or vegetable curry, and a rice or nan, on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
“If you got kids we’ll put in some poppadums and a nan too,” added Hussain. “I trust in the human spirit!”
Call 01309 673475, email cardamonspice@yahoo.com or private message Cardamon Spice on Facebook to request a meal or suggest a worthy recipient.
