Want the latest news from Swansea sent straight to your inbox? Don't miss anything from your city! Sign up for regular updates Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Hidden in Swansea is a haven helping the homeless get back on their feet. The idea is simple, and very, very effective, and it's proving a big success.

Matt’s Cafe can be found in what was previously known as St Matthew’s Community Centre in the High Street in Swansea.

The church building is probably the last place you would expect to see a cafe, but as you walk through the graveyard and into the newly renovated interior, it’s quite a surprise.

Its website boasts of state-of-the-art facilities to help the vulnerable and homeless of Swansea including showers, a laundry room, training room, purpose built medical consultation room and café.

In May 2016 The Hill Church purchased the building after the previous owners, a charity called the Cyrenians, went into administration.

The concept behind Matt’s Cafe, based in Matthew’s House, is nothing short of genius.

Local supermarkets including Tesco and Marks & Spencer alert the charity to food surplus that is good to eat, but is not able to be sold. Matt’s Cafe collects the donations, cooks up a storm and feeds people in Swansea who could do with a good meal.

But this not-so-greasy spoon cafe has a twist. Anyone can eat there: office workers, students, asylum seekers, the butcher, baker and candle stick maker can all come and eat guilt free with the ‘pay as you feel concept’.

The idea is that if you are unable to afford to food, you are welcome. If you are currently in a fortunate situation, you are also welcome.

Everyone donates what they can afford for the food put in front of them. So not only is the food made from ingredients that would have ended up in the bin, but by donating money the punter is helping hundreds of people across Swansea each week.

In one day Matt’s Cafe can feed more than 50 people a square meal - and that’s not including the endless amounts of cups of tea and rounds of toast. Some people don’t even come in for a meal, they might just want to get out of the cold and see a friendly face for a comforting chat.

On offer this Monday was a hearty chicken curry, packed to the brim with vegetables. It’s a struggle to think where else in the city you can get a decent, healthy home-cooked meal without oodles of packaging or price tag that burns a hole in your pocket.

But the food is not the best bit of Matt’s Cafe. It’s the people behind the plates that really make this place what it is. The cafe has been running for the first four-week trial period solely on volunteers.

Thom is currently a volunteer but is about to leave his job at Tata Steel to work on the charitable projects at Matthew’s House full time. He said: “We’re not just for the community, we want to be part of the community.

“We have about 12 volunteers at the moment with varying roles from collecting food to chopping onions.”

Not only to they get waste food, but some Swansea market traders donate fresh food.

Thom added: “We collect fresh fish from Coakley’s fish mongers and Choice Is Yours greengrocers in the market, they give us bags of vegetables every week.”

The cafe has previously only been able to run one day a week, but is about to expand to two-and-a-half days.

Matt’s Cafe is a humbling, wholesome and enriching place where people from all walks of life can break bread and eat together as equals.

How can you help?

Matt’s Cafe is looking for volunteers to help out on Tuesdays and Sundays. Don’t worry, if you haven’t got the knack with cooking, there are always plenty of vegetables that need peeling.

If you are unable to donate time, they are always on the look-out for food donations.

The cafe manages to get lots of food from local shops and market stall holders, but sometime struggles to get certain food products. Each week Matt’s Cafe Facebook page publishes the most sought after ingredients.

This week they are in need of butter, tinned/frozen meats, spices, mayonnaise and jams.

Perhaps the tastiest way to help is to eat a meal and make a donation.