On-call paramedics offered free cuppa by kind-hearted coffee shop owners

Brian Fairhurst (44), who co-owns BarberBarista on Main Street, Aughton, was inspired to set up the initiative after overhearing a trainee paramedic’s conversation.

“I was in a chip shop near the salon and there was a student paramedic in there,” he said.

“I was listening to what she was saying to the woman over the counter.

“She was saying she had been on shift for nine hours and not had a break yet and that this was the first time she had stopped all day for something to eat and hadn’t even had a drink yet.

“I said to the student paramedic that if she wanted to come over the road to our coffee shop she was more than welcome to come in for a free coffee — then the next minute she had to go because the radio went off.”

Brian, who opened the coffee-shop-cum-barbers in January, said this gave him the idea of giving something back to on-shift paramedics by offering a free cuppa to passing ambulance staff.

He posted details of the generous scheme onto the company’s Facebook page and said it had been very well received.

“These workers never get a break, fire and police crews have a station to go back to, so we want to let them know that if they are in the area on standby then they can come in for a free regular coffee,” he said.

“We want to encourage them to come in and use the offer — they do enough for everybody else and don’t get enough recognition.”