Billa Ahmed is a boundlessly energetic and enthusiastic individual who clearly believes deeply in helping the less fortunate and giving something back to the community. He and his team walk 5-6 miles every Saturday in Manchester to get to the homeless and provide them with food and other forms of support. Inspired by a movement started in the US whereby people would buy themselves something in a coffee shop, then leave an equal amount of money to pay for the same for a homeless person, Billa Ahmed has got together a group of Take Aways & restaurants who provide free meal to homeless and those in Need. Al Quds Grill House in Derby Street were first, providing for the homeless on Mondays and Thursdays between 3-5pm, and the idea quickly began to spread, with Bengal Cottage in Horwich joining in and Mashes Wing Ranch on Derby Street and others participating on certain days of the week. The group also provides support at Bolton Community Kitchen and now a growing range of food outlets are providing free food for the homeless after teaming up with the Help the Homeless and Needy group. Billa is quick to point out that this is not about him and that it is very much a team effort. A graphic designer, Billa was born and raised in Bolton. ”I love Bolton and I feel blessed to have grown up here. I may have had good fortune in my life but others have not been so lucky and now I want to give something back to the community and help others – and I am very, very grateful to my many friends who are helping”. (Chai Times will bring further news in future editions about the efforts being made by various groups and organisations to provide that assistance.)
Historically, right after the war, many gentlemen had lost everything they had, and couldn’t even afford coffee. Now, being that the black hot liquid pleasure is not considered a treat, but rather a basic human right in the life of any Neapolitan, those gentlemen who could still afford to have one, took a habit of paying for two: one they drank, the other was credited, to be had by the first less fortunate peer who would casually walk in the coffeehouse, restaurant or bar. The barista would then say: « Would you like a coffee, sir? », Which meant: there is a coffee paid for you, if you can’t afford one