SANDWICH bar owners Dave Pope and Steve Richards have taken the world wide suspended coffee phenomenon a step further by using it to help street sleepers.

The business partners who have Fillerz in Regent Circus were inspired to join in the movement after seeing homeless people in the precinct near the shop.

Dave told the Advertiser: “We saw the idea on the internet but we modified it slightly so it was more aimed at homeless people.

"The aim is to get to the people that really need it.”

In fact they are so enthusiastic they are working on a plan to have a clothing exchange on the ground floor of the premises so those in need can pick up some warm and dry clothes.

He explained that special cards had been handed over to the night shelter in Cheney Manor to be distributed to those without a proper roof over their heads.

And at the front of the store was a stand where customers could choose whatever they wanted to buy extra as a gift.

A corresponding label was then hung on a peg behind the counter.

When a homeless person came in and showed their card they could choose a coffee or a snack from the available labels hanging on the pegs.

“We just like the idea.” He said staff often saw a couple of homeless people outside the store and that was one of the reasons they wanted to target their scheme at rough sleepers.

“We see it every day and we just wanted to do something for them.”

“It’s going quite well. We have had quite a few donations. The people that really need them are very grateful. They don’t cause any hassle. They just come in and have a quiet drink.

“I think it is nice to know that we are aiming at the right people.”

Customers also liked the idea because instead of putting change in a pot they knew where their donations was going and that it would be used to provide someone with something warm and nourishing.

The suspended coffee movement involves cafes and coffee houses all around the world and was started by John Sweeney, although the tradition is said to have started in Naples.

He created a Suspended Coffees Facebook page in 2013 and the trend took off. Within the first year more than 1,400 cafes had signed up.

The intention of the scheme was to give a small boost to people who were having a bad day, were down on their luck or in need of someone to show them kindness.