an Aberystwyth café will once again be offering free meals on Christmas Day to homeless people in the town and the owner is extending the invite to Ukrainian refugees.

For the last 10 years, The Home Cafe on Pier Street has opened its doors on Christmas Day to offer homeless and vulnerable people in the town a full Christmas meal for free and to enjoy the company of others.

This year’ the cafe’s doors will be open from 12pm until 5pm on Christmas Day, but owner, Ahmet Acikel has stayed open later in the past.

He said: “Not everyone wants to go by 5, last year we finished at about 7pm.”

“Christmas is about helping, it’s not just giving and receiving presents.

“The spirit of Christmas is to remember the people who need help, and to include them in the festivities.

“There will be a carvery downstairs, music playing - it will be a little party.”

On top of this, Ahmet Acikel has been in contact with various local businesses, who have each contributed to the big day in their own ways.

Booker’s Aberystwyth helped him supply the meat for the carvery, and ALS Cleaning and LEB construction helped him get presents for any children that may show up on the day.

Mr Acikel has invited Ukrainian families to attend on the day.

“Having hosted a family himself, he hopes he can spread some of the Christmas joy to others too.

He said: “I can’t replace their own life, but I want people to know that we are here, offering a place where you can enjoy yourself. You are welcome with us.”

Mr Acikel makes a point of using his business as a place to help those in need.

He added: “This is the Home Cafe, your home, and we want you to feel like it is your home.

“We want people to feel comfortable and like they can join in. “This isn’t just Christmas Day, whatever the problem, come to Home Cafe.

“There’s plenty of space, it doesn’t matter your race, religion or anything, you are welcome here.

“It will not harm me or anyone else here, we are here to help. “We could end up in the same position any day, all it would take here is one little fire, and I’d have no business, and anyone can lose their family at any moment.

“We don’t know what people have had to go through. “If we could open up the book of their life, we would see how similar we all are.“I’ve seen what people have to go through, sometimes people come in here hungry, and without money.

“But you can see they need a hot meal. “All we ask ourselves is can we feed them, and we can, so we ask no more questions.”

Ahmet, who moved to the UK from Turkey, added: “I love Aberystwyth, I feel like I belong in this community.

“If I live here, why not help? This is how I want to be a part of the community.”