The café is a program run by the Bathurst Uniting Support Services (BUSS), an initiative started by the Bathurst Uniting Church in partnership with other agencies.

With the pandemic, the homeless shelter program is unable to run, but the café has helped to fill the void by providing hot meals on Saturdays and Sundays between 12pm and 2pm.

Volunteer Maree Wilsmore said the café recently had to close for two weeks due to lockdowns, but it was able to reopen with a strict COVID-safe plan.

"We're averaging now, this weekend and last weekend, four people a day and hoping that will increase as people realise we are back open again," she said.

Visitors to the shelter are able to get home-cooked hot meals, with the menu including items such as spaghetti bolognese, curried sausages and roast pork.

"We've had a couple of cooking days. Last cooking day there were about 10 of us, we were out at Holy Trinity at Kelso, and we cooked like 100 meals," Ms Wilsmore said.

People who utilise the café find the service very helpful, with one patron on Sunday saying that they come not just for a meal, but for social interaction as well.

Ms Wilsmore said there are a few regulars who come most weekends, but new people are always welcome.

In addition to meals, they can get some snacks to take away, have a shower and get a change of clothes.

There are also plenty of opportunities to volunteer or support the work of BUSS. Details can be found on the BUSS Facebook page.

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