BARNSLEY cafe owners who have been delivering food to their elderly customers have been nominated for a Proud of Barnsley award.

Jill Copley and Tracy Bailey, of Hoyland Common, run Tinker’s Cafe with Jill working there for 25 years, creating a customer base that they now consider to be their family.

During lockdown, they’ve been delivering food to their elderly regulars and keeping up conversations with those that are unable to leave their homes due to lockdown restrictions.

Jill said: “We have quite a lot of regulars who are pensioners and due to coronavirus they’ve been unable to get out of the house and so they’ve not been able to get food.

“We’ve been delivering them it free of charge and we’ve also been doing breakfasts and takeaway sandwiches for others too.

“We reopened this week and since then we’ve been having a few people in but not a lot, I know the elderly customers are wanting delivery still because they’re still at home and we’re more than happy to do that.”

It’s not just during lockdown that they’ve decided to help their community out though, as they’re always checking up with their regulars when they don’t come in to make sure they’re doing well.

“As we’ve been here for so long we do have quite a few regulars and so if they don’t come in one day we ring them up to make sure they’re doing fine,” she added.

“I see them as friends and family rather than customers so if we get the chance to have a conversation with them when they’re at home then that exactly what we’ll do.”

Upon hearing of their nomination in the community group category, Jill added: “We never did any of this for recognition if I’m honest, we just wanted to help people out because that’s what everyone should be doing - we’re just making sure that other people are happy.”