Italy was the first country to introduce the idea of a ‘suspended coffee’. The idea has since spread to Bulgaria and hopefully will take off in the UK.
What is a suspended coffee?
Rather than giving money to homeless people on the streets or those struggling financially, you can now buy people suspended coffees or sandwiches at coffee shops participating in the scheme.
So, when you’re buying your morning cup of coffee made from freshly ground coffee beans, you can buy another one for someone else. Your purchase is tallied on a board, so when someone is in need of food or a drink, they can come in and claim their free coffee or sandwich.
With coffee shops, outlets and coffee machines dotted about all over our high streets, I’d like to think this idea will take off throughout the UK. Coffee 7 near Forest Gate station in London is taking part in the scheme and Costa Coffee has been inundated with requests to introduce suspended coffee.
So, will the idea spread? It’s popular in Italy and now Bulgaria, but what about the UK? There’s no reason why it shouldn’t work. After all, many people want to help those who are struggling financially but don’t want the money to go on drugs or cigarettes.
I sometimes buy hot drinks for homeless people; however, if you’re in a rush, buying a suspended coffee when you’re buying a drink for yourself anyway is a brilliant idea and will probably encourage more people to give. I think the idea of suspended coffee could be a positive move forwards to a more giving, empathetic society.
It’s a scheme that will hopefully bring out the best in human nature. What have the coffee shops got to lose? It’s a win-win situation for everyone. And who knows where it might lead – imagine suspended clothing, computers or even holidays.
You can find out more about Suspended Coffee and read hear warming stories by visiting the suspended coffee Facebook page.