A FAMILY-RUN Pontypool café is to open on Christmas Day in a bid to give back to the community.
Front Row Food, located at Unit 2, North Pontnewynydd Industrial Estate, is run by husband-and-wife partnership Jonathan and Ria Gibbs.
Sior, Ria, Jonathan and Cai (Image: Ria Gibbs)
Sior, Ria, Jonathan and Cai. Picture: Ria Gibbs
The café will be serving Christmas dinner with all the trimmings on Christmas Day to people struggling during the festive period - and has more than 100 bookings for the big day.
Ria said they had decided to help out after being contacted by charity Trac2, which supports struggling people in Torfaen and further afield.
And the whole family are getting stuck in, with the couple's sons Sior, 18, and Cai, 16, lending a hand.
Ria said: “We have always wanted to give something back to the community we serve, and now our boys are older we have the opportunity to do so.
Inside the café. Picture: Ria Gibbs (Image: Ria Gibbs)
Inside the café. Picture: Ria Gibbs
“We want to bring back traditional values and embed them in our boys, this is the reason Sior and Cai will help run the café on Christmas Day by preparing, cooking, delivering and providing people with a positive happy experience on Christmas Day.
“We were contacted by Trac2 to ask if we could help them in providing 30 meals for individuals and families who are in financial difficulties or struggling with their mental health on Christmas Day.
“We jumped at the chance to help and now have 100 dinners booked.”
The family getting in the festive spirit (Image: Ria Gibbs)
The family getting in the festive spirit. Picture: Ria Gibbs
The Gibbs family will be working Christmas Eve by preparing all the vegetables ready for the big day.
Front Row Food sells all day breakfast, lunch time specials and homemade sandwiches and baguettes have over 100 dinners booked for the festive day.
The selfless couple also run a weekly hub on Thursday evening between 6.30pm-8pm from their cafe offering warm drinks, cakes, games and the all-important social interaction.
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