Rugby business owners moved to tears by public response to offers of help to feed school children

Rugby business owners said they have been moved to tears by a huge public response to offers to feed school children through the half term.

Last week the government threw out an attempt to see children who receive free school meals get further support through school holidays.

Scores of Rugby businesses came forward to offer free food to children through the holidays and the Advertiser visited three of them earlier this week.

Fishsmiths owner Dee Gregoriou said he had been brought to tears by the response of residents.

Chatting inside his shop on Main Street in Newbold on Avon, he said: "We had limited it to just children receiving free school meals but then we decided that the offer was open to any child who needed it.

"It's hard to give an exact number of lunches we've given out but it's going to be at least in the hundreds.

"I just feel it's the right thing to do. This is our community, it's a difficult time for everyone and if I can help I am happy to."

Dee said last Friday he spoke to Andreas on the phone and the two said they felt it was right to do something to keep the children fed.

"Andreas and I get on well," he said.

"We're both on the same wavelength - we know the community are our customers and we want to give back what we can."

Dee said he has been overwhelmed with the response from customers.

"We've had people coming in and making donations to support the offer.

"One woman came in and handed over £200 to help us get through it.

"I'm not a sensitive guy but I cried after that.

"We've put all the donations together and we're going to either give it all the Rugby Foodbank or use it to go shopping for items the foodbank needs and donate it to them that way.

"There's been a great response, I'm really happy with everyone. I wish we could do more.

"Shame on the government - but what a super community we have here."

Fishplus owner Andreas Kattou told the Advertiser he too cried at the huge amount of support the community has offered.

He estimates the shop Bilton Road shop has managed to give out free food to hundreds of school children, and he prepared special goodie bags to give them as well.

"It's been such an amazing week," he said.

"We've had the retweet from Marcus Rashford and the mention on BBC News. It's an honour to be able to help the community.

"We had originally teamed up with St Oswald's C of E Academy but we changed our offer to include all children who need a meal."

He too said customers have been making donations through the week, a gesture that reduced him to tears.

"It's overwhelming to be honest.

"I knew it was going to be a busy week so I'd sorted extra food already - we're going to be making a big donation to Rugby Foodbank.

"It shouldn't have to come to this but it just proves what an amazing community we have here."

Stelios and Christalla Kyriacou, who opened Village Fish Bar on The Green in Bilton three weeks ago, said they have pleased to be able to help children through the week.

Christalla said: "My parents owned a chip shop on a council estate while I was growing up and we always did charity work and tried to help the community.

"Families have been coming in being a bit shy and saying, 'do we have to buy anything' and I've been saying, 'no you don't, if you need it you can have it'.

"We've had kids jumping up and down because they're so happy.

"We've applied for places at local schools for the kids and I've said if the schools ever need help in the future we're happy to do something."