A PAIR of firefighters are hoping to raise £50,000 to create a community hub for frontline heroes in Dorchester after the success of their lockdown coffee business.

As reported, Tom Taylor and Matt Broxton launched Frontline Coffee, an online coffee company, during lockdown. They handed out more than 20,000 brews to key workers and raised more than £20,000 for charities including NHS Charities Together, The Ambulance Staff Charity and the RNLI.

The pair now plan to open a Frontline Coffee café which will have gym facilities and can be used as a place to hold free workshops for mental health support. They also want to offer coaching and retraining options for frontline leavers to ensure they can flourish in new careers.

It would be aimed at emergency services personnel.

Tom, who lives in Weymouth and works for Devon & Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, said: "We are a complete non-profit company and 100 per cent of our profits go to frontline charities.

"For this reason we have no budget for expansion, unless we reduce the amount we donate to charity, something we are not willing to do.

"That is why we need help to allow us to grow, raise more money and directly support frontline workers."

The pair have launched a Crowdfunder to raise the £50,000 they need to see their dreams of creating a community hub become a reality. At the time of printing, they have raised less than £1,400.

Tom added: "The £50,000 will allow us to move into a unit that will give us the space we need to create a supportive fundraising hub and become self-sufficient and not require outside funding which means we will be able to support frontline workers and charities more effectively."

Matt, who left his job at the London Fire Brigade to focus on Frontline Coffee, said: "We want to create a hub that supports our frontline heroes.

"It will be a place to come and exercise, have a coffee and become part of a community of like-minded people who can support each other.

"The power of a cuppa is huge. There is so much value in social and informal conversations which can provide the space needed for colleagues to process challenging situations.

"We want to create a relaxing environment not only for frontline heroes but also for the local community."

To donate to Tom and Matt's Crowdfunding page, visit https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/supporting-our-frontline-heroes