Stockport legend Mama Flo: 'I've given thousands of meals away - nobody should go hungry'

Stockport legend Mama Flo: 'I've given thousands of meals away - nobody should go hungry' Stockport cafe owner Florence Coke was surprised live on This Morning with a Pride of Britain Award. She runs Mama Flo's and makes sure that nobody in her community goes without Cafe owner Florence Coke got the surprise of her life yesterday, when she was told live on ITV's This Morning that she'd won a Pride of Britain Award. After hosts Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary delivered the news, an emotional Florence told the Mirror: "I am never lost for words, never! But oh my goodness when I was sat there with Alison and Dermot, I couldn't speak. I'm so happy, so overwhelmed." Florence, 71, will receive her This Morning Local Hero award on stage at the Daily Mirror's Pride of Britain Awards in partnership with P&O Cruises, on October 19. And it's incredibly well deserved. Stockport legend Florence - known affectionately as Mama Flo - has been living in the UK for almost 30 years. And for the past 16, she's been running Mama Flo's Caribbean takeaway in Stockport, near Stepping Hill Hospital - and making sure that nobody in her community goes hungry. Florence, who has two grown up children and eight grandchildren, says: "In my community, I give free meals to kids, pensioners, and those who need it. I give away thousands and thousands of meals." Serving free meals during the pandemic, providing free children's lunches through the summer holidays during the cost of living crisis, and feeding local pensioners for free at Christmas, her generosity is commendable. Florence, who was raised in Jamaica, says: "I grew up as one of 12 kids. My dad and my mum were very, very hardworking farmers. My parents would line out all these plates to feed people in the community. I grew up with this mentality of doing what I saw my parents do. "We didn't have much money, but we did have an abundance of food. It was in their power to give it away, just like it is in mine now." In 1997, Florence moved to the UK for a better life. At first, she worked in sales and was a paper seller for the Manchester Evening News. And Mama Flo's first opened in 2010 in Gorton, north Manchester, before moving to its current location in Stockport in 2013. When Florence noticed that people in her local area were struggling financially, she says: "I fed the OAP, I fed the homeless, I fed the kids. If anyone was coming from prison, I classify them as human beings. I'd rather give them a meal rather than for them to go and steal. So I fed them as well. "In this community, I'm well-respected by every single person that comes in here. As you can see, it's a small shop, but good things come in small parcels." Local business owner Alison Knott, who owns next door business Maggie's Pet Store, says: "Flo is all about her community, Flo is all about the love. And her laughing, her joking - goodness me, you hear Flo coming a mile away! And she's always laughing." Mama Flo's mouthwatering menu is full of Caribbean classics, from jerk chicken and curried goat, to dumplings, patties and wings. Through a cheerful yellow door, the decor inside is just as welcoming and the premises is packed with diners. A sweetly spiced smell greets you on entry, and the counter is laden with savoury treats. No stranger to celebrity fans, footballers Harry Maguire, and Kyle Walker have popped in to eat, as well as singer Billy Ocean. Florence jokes: "They come for the food first... but also my personality. And once you eat at Mama Flo's you can't help but want to come again." Florence is a constant presence behind the counter. She wakes up around 4am to start cooking and prep for the midday opening. She says: "I help the kids, so if I don't start my day from 5 o'clock to do that, I never get through my day, because I cook every single dish on my own. "The motivation that I get from helping people, it gives me that urge, that strength, that courage to keep going. When you do come into my shop, I show you love. Share the love." Florence thought her appearance on This Morning was for an interview about Black History Month and was over the moon - and overcome with emotion - when she was told she was a Pride of Britain Award winner. She says: "I had no idea, I thought I was going to talk about food. I was very teary." Her daughter Seleciah, who was in on the surprise and accompanied her to the ITV studios, says: "Mum is always giving. She's very, very kind. She'll do anything for anyone. Growing up, there was always food. She always said food is so important. And that if you've got enough to share, you can give it to someone else." Florence never turns anyone away from Mama Flo's. Seleciah says: "If someone comes in and says they don't have enough to pay, she always says it's alright. If they come in and say 'I'm hungry' she'll give them something." During the pandemic, Florence opened Mama Flo's on her days off. Seleciah says: "She doesn't open on a Monday, but went in to cook free food for the people who can't afford it. Everyone was losing their job, people were on furlough. She'd move into that cafe if she could. "She started giving the kids free meals, care homes, hospices, domestic violence victims. You name it, she'd feed everyone. She started doing packages too, with potatoes, veg and meat. She'd say, 'Just tell me what you need.'" With an estimated one in three children living in poverty, and as the cost of living crisis causes one in five pensioners to cut back on food and groceries, Florence continues to send out food parcels so that no one goes hungry. She says: "I make it my priority to cook meals for the children every single summer holiday. They know where to come. No child should go hungry." Florence will be presented with her Pride of Britain Award on Monday 19 October, at the Mirror's annual ceremony at Grosvenor House in London. Flo's granddaughter Caprice Coke will be cheering her on. She says: "My nan is a role model, she's a queen, she's everything and I'm grateful to have my nanna in my life." Seleciah adds: "Her winning a Pride of Britain Award has made everyone stop and take stock of how brilliant Mum is. We take people for granted, especially our family. But Mama Flo deserves to be celebrated. Her name needs to be shouted from the rooftops. I'm so proud of her. Next stop is an OBE. We're looking at you King Charles." Mama Flo herself says: "The secret ingredient in all my meals is love. Cooking is my passion, cooking is love. I cook with love, I love to give, especially to kids. I never turn a kid away out of my shop. If I can save a person's life and ensure they are not starving for one night, I will do it. And I'm going to continue doing it." *The Pride of Britain Awards will take place on 19th October, before airing on ITV and ITVX from 22nd October. Find out more about the Pride of Britain Awards 2026 at prideofbritain.com