Indian restaurant offering free meals for homeless this Christmas

Vijay Jetani and his team at Namaste Village in Queens Road are offering a free Indian meal to around 150 homeless people on December 24.

They will cook a vegetarian meal for those that have no one to spend Christmas with and the feast will include Bombay aloo, chana masala and mango lassi to drink.

The event will run from 5.30pm to 7.30pm and Mr Jetani is organising it with his Indian friends in Norwich.

Mr Jetani said: 'We as a family come from a Hindu background and we have been taught to help those who are in need.

'So, we thought as a business and family, we can celebrate Christmas with the homeless.

'I put this thought forward to my Indian friends in Norwich, some of them are doctors working at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital and the James Paget, and they have all agreed to help us to feed our city mates and to have a conversation with individuals to bring positive change and aspiration before the new year begins.

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'We have decided to feed about 150 homeless people and not only that, but to give them a restaurant experience.'

This isn't the first time Mr Jentani has reached out to help the homeless. In 2017 he launched an initiative to give away their signature dosa dish for free.

Customers to both his Namaste Village and Namaste India restaurant, located in Opie Street, were given the opportunity to donate £4 towards a Masala Dosa, roughly half the price, with the business covering the rest.

A sticker with 'Dosa on the Wall' written on it was then be put on the window for people in need to exchange for a meal.

Mr Vijay also opened his latest eatery Namaste Hut at The Enterprise Centre at UEA in September which serves vegetarian and vegan food and drink.

Mr Vijay is looking for local homeless charities and shelters to get in touch on namastevillagenorwich@gmail.com