Mahatma Gandhi very famously said, “Simplicity is the essence of Universality”. Sometimes it is the simplest gestures that make the biggest difference in somebody’s life. We come across stories of people doing extraordinary things for their community, and we too are in awe of how someone can dedicate their entire lifetime to serving others without asking for anything. What if they have understood the secret of life that most of us are still not aware of?Meet 71-year-old Florence Coke, popularly known as Mama Flo, who runs a Caribbean takeaway in Stockport, Greater Manchester, in England. While her restaurant is known for its delicious Caribbean cuisine, Florence has become equally popular for something else, i.e., making sure that no one in her community goes hungry.For more than 30 years, Florence has been living in the UK, and for the past several years, she has been running Mama Flo’s restaurant, where she has made it her mission to provide free meals to children, pensioners and people who cannot afford to pay for food. Her efforts have earned her thousands of admirers in the community, and she recently received the Pride of Britain This Morning Local Hero award in recognition of her incredible work towards making a more welcoming community.
A childhood lesson that became a lifelong habit
For Florence, giving meals was a way to connect to her parents and her roots in Jamaica (Image- Pride of Britain official website)
For Florence, feeding people is not something she started doing recently. It is something she grew up watching her parents do in Jamaica. As a child, she would watch her mother prepare large pots of food every day and distribute it among the poor and the needy in her community. She saw what it meant for them and for the community and wanted to bring the same tradition to Stockport in her own way.Over the years, she has given away thousands of meals. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when the whole world was in crisis, with people losing their jobs, she continued to feed those who were struggling. As the cost of living crisis made things more difficult for families, she began providing free meals to children during the summer holidays and also sent food parcels to elderly residents who needed help. She believes that no child should have to go hungry simply because schools are closed for the holidays.
‘I don’t like to see anyone go hungry’
One particular incident that stayed with Florence was when an elderly man came to collect a free meal and thanked her for her work, explaining that he had not received his pension money and had nothing to eat. Recalling the moment, she said that she broke down and cried because it was difficult for her to imagine someone going without food.In a world where people think a hundred times before donating a cent, she is making a change in the world. Her support extends beyond the meals served at the restaurant. She works with people who deliver food to elderly residents who cannot walk up to her restaurant, while she herself spends hours preparing meals for everyone. She also tries to help people who have recently come out of prison, treating them with the same warmth and care she would offer a family member.She brings about a domino effect of change. Looking from afar, it might not look like her work is changing anything, but a little warmth of love can melt mountains. By doing such acts of kindness, she never asks for anything in return but hopes that someday they too will help someone in need.
A surprise recognition for Mama Flo
A surprise yet well-deserved award for Mama Flo by Pride of Britain (Image- pride of Britain)
Although Florence did not ask for anything in return for her work, it eventually caught the attention of the Pride of Britain organisers, who arranged a special surprise for her on ITV’s This Morning. She was invited to the studio, believing that she would be appearing for a food segment, but presenters Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary had something else in mind. During the show, they announced that she had won the This Morning Local Hero award at the 2026 Pride of Britain Awards.Overwhelmed by the announcement, Florence said she had never expected such recognition because everything she had done over the years came from love and her desire to ensure that nobody went hungry. She also spoke about how she begins her day around 4 am, preparing food before opening her restaurant, and how she never steps out without praying.When asked about the secret behind her cooking, Florence had a simple answer: “The secret ingredient in all my meals is all love.”
