Mama Flo
2144. Florence Coke
Florence Coke, from Stockport, known as “Mama Flo”, runs a Jamaican restaurant from which she provided thousands of free meals during the pandemic, including to key workers, and continues to provide food packages for local pensioners, children during school holidays, and other vulnerable people across the community.
Inspired by her childhood in Jamaica, where her parents would cook and distribute huge pots of food to feed the parish, Florence wanted to continue in this spirit and make sure those in need in her community received a hot meal.
Florence opened her first takeaway in 2010, and many of her recipes remain the same ones used by her family to cook in Jamaica. All tips from her restaurant, which is regularly visited by footballers including Kyle Walker and Harry Maguire, are donated to local causes.
Florence said:
“’I feel very humbled and grateful to receive the Points of Light award as the 2144th recipient.
“I am extremely passionate about what I do for my local community and the surrounding areas.
“I am determined to continue to make a difference in the lives of children and elderly people.”