THE Christmas spirit is already alive as the new owner of a Royal Wootton Bassett café helps get food on people’s tables.

Jamie Kavara took over what used to be Crump’s Coffee Shop and Cafe and it became The Butcher's Mate earlier this month.

In less than two weeks of being the new owner he’s already looking out for the community as he spent last weekend feeding families, those living alone and the elderly.

After the second national lockdown started he had to close the doors to his business and he realised his stock was soon going to go to waste.

He teamed up with the owner of Crump's Butchers, Andy Crump, and began cooking up a storm.

"The initial response was 'there's a man outside the door with a beard and a mask' and they were obviously a bit sceptical at first," Jamie said.

"It got me quite emotional seeing their reaction once they realised why I was there, they were so grateful because some of them had no idea I was coming because their family members had asked me to deliver a tray.

“I made a delivery to an elderly man in Purton who was shielding and he got a bit confused and thought it was Christmas day.”

They had packed some trays with four rashes of bacon, six eggs and four sausages all wrapped up and ready to go. People either came to the cafe to collect theirs or they were delivered.

Jamie said: "I had 30 dozen eggs left over in stock along with some other bits and they were going to expire within three weeks. I thought I'd like to use the remaining stock and I asked Andy from the butchers if he would be up with going halves on the costs and helping people through the stress of another lockdown.

"I put out a Facebook post and asking if anyone needs help giving their kids a decent meal before school because of the u-turn on free school meals or just anyone who is struggling in the current climate then we are here to do our little bit. We just wanted to help and get food in people's bellies."

The two business owners helped feed 60 households across Royal Wootton Bassett and some in Purton.

"The Crump's has been around for decades and I've only just opened but the support we have had is amazing,” Jamie said.

"Everyone has been so positive, at first people were shy to come and take the food but after I posted again on Facebook it blew up. People started asking us to deliver us to their family members who are self-isolating and we received messages saying how wonderful it is what we did.

"We didn't do it for the praise but we just wanted to give back in a tough time."