Tunbridge Wells 'pay-what-you-can' community café opens - BBC.com

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A community café which aims to tackle food waste and support people struggling in the cost of living crisis has opened in Kent.

Charlie's Angels Kitchens uses a 'pay what you can' system.

For two years, Charlie Moor ran a pop-up café in the local community when she said she saw people "really, really struggling".

She has now opened a permanent site which serves only vegetarian food in Camden Road, Tunbridge Wells.

Speaking to BBC Radio Kent, Ms Moore said: "All of our food is made from surplus ingredients and things that might have ended up in landfill."

She said the café receives products which are nearing the end of their shelf life and are donated by retailers.

Mary Chattier is a volunteer chef who helps out once a week.

"I'm always absolutely amazed by how much produce is apparently surplus and the quality of it," she said.

"It's all in really good condition, perfectly edible, but yet is surplus."

Ms Moore, who is from Tunbridge Wells, said the café only served vegetarian food to ensure health and hygiene.

"When you're dealing with surplus food you can't mess around with meat on its use by date," she said.

The café has a tiered payment system - gold, silver and bronze - where customers can choose either to pay for someone else, pay as they would in a local eatery or not pay at all.

"If you can't afford to pay anything at all, please come anyway," Ms Moore said.

One customer said: "People are suffering from the cost of living crisis at the moment so it's nice to even donate a drink to someone who's coming in after you."

Another customer said: "I never waste food so I'm really in favour of that kind of thing ."

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