A BUSINESSWOMAN who is helping to tackle hidden poverty in Barnsley has been nominated for a Community Hero award.
Sara Headley, of Sara's Flowers and Teas, offers budget hot meals, redistributes clothing and food parcels, and even provides free funeral tributes for those struggling to make ends meet.
Sara opened her Pitt Street shop four years ago as a florist and tea shop, but quickly realised she could do more to help the needy and isolated, starting with a suspended coffee and meal scheme where customers could pay for food or drink for someone in need.
Since then this has expanded to include a range of measures to help those who find themselves unable to afford the basics to live and saw her serve 180 free meals to those in need on Christmas day. She was nominated for a Community Hero award by Coun Steve Green, who said: "Sara Headley works tirelessly for the people of Barnsley to improve well-being and the standard of living. "For the last four years she has opened the shop from 7am to 7pm for the needy, lonely, isolated and families in poverty."
Sara's work primarily focuses on the elderly and young families, with a new furniture redistribution centre, clothing bank and school uniform exchange opening later this month. The new centre will also deliver craft classes to give isolated residents a place to go and something to do, along with training for the unemployed to enable them to upcycle furniture to sell on.
A team of volunteers now help Sara to run the community kitchen, which receives leftover food from Morrisons and Tesco and deliveries from Fairshare, allowing them to cook a range of hot meals including roast dinner for £1.
Sara offers those who need it impartial advice on housing, benefits and budgeting, along with work experience and barista qualifications - which normally cost upwards of £1,000 - to help get people back into work. Each week she also takes in bedding and clothes from the homeless to wash, ensuring they have clean clothes and bedding in wet and damp conditions.
Sara said: "If I sit down and think about everything that we do it is overwhelming. "It has really escalated from where we started four years ago. "I don't do everything myself, I have a team who help. I have brilliant volunteers and brilliant staff." Of her Proud of Barnsley nomination she said: "Someone described me as a facilitator and that's how I see myself really - I just put people in touch with each other and help to provide a service.
"The people we deal with are not on benefits. We see a lot of families who just can't afford to eat and they might have £30 after everything is paid. "We also get a lot of elderly people who cant afford the gas and electric to turn the oven on and make a hot meal.
"For £2.50 they can get a breakfast, hot lunch and a wrap filled with fresh veg to take home." Sara has previously gained a Duke of York Community Initiative award for her work, with the Duke stating that he was particularly impressed by the unique service she provides.
Sara also gained a commendation from the Chamber of Commerce and was invited to speak at the Bishop's breakfast as an inspiration to the church and people in Barnsley.
"We had to be so thoroughly inspected for the Duke of York award," explains Sara. "They said they didn't know of anywhere in the country who does as much as we do. "We're now focusing on keeping people occupied and helping people get back into work in Barnsley."
