A Suffolk group has started offering free hot meals three times a week, and a warm space for communities to attend.

Black Minority Ethnics (BME) Suffolk Support Group has started to offer freshly cooked hot food to communities and warm spaces, to add to the list of ways they help the community.

BME already offer a food bank in Ipswich, and a community hub with a cafe.

Funmi Akinriboya, who runs BME Suffolk Support Group, said: "The food bank we run, mainly only supplies dry foods, with a little bit of fresh food.

Ipswich Star: cc (Image: Newsquest)

"The feedback we got from people was whether we had any cooked food and so we came together and thought that now would be a perfect time to start doing it.

"It supports people at a time when electricity bills are so high, that people are contemplating whether to use money to buy food, or to use it on gas and electric.

"By using our community cafe as a space for people to come and stay as long as they want, and they can have some hot food for free.

"We are just trying to do what is needed to help, as much as we can, with the economic crisis."

The space is open to everyone with no booking required, offering a warm space, free WiFi and food.

Ipswich Star: The cafe at BME's community hubThe cafe at BME's community hub (Image: Charlotte Bond)

BME has been helping the communities in Suffolk since their formation in 2019, offering those that are struggling with money for bus passes, school uniforms or utility bills.

In their community hub, they have a library where people can go to work and a children's youth centre where they can do crafts and activities.

Funmi continued: "We just want to help as many people as we can in the community."

The hub is open for "anyone and everyone", Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 10am-2pm, and will run until March 30.

Ipswich Star: Funmi in the library at the community hubFunmi in the library at the community hub (Image: Charlotte Bond)