Bank workers swapped dollars for dishes yesterday as they served breakfast to homeless and hungry Bermudians.

A team from Clarien Bank helped to provide meals at the Anglican Cathedral in Hamilton as part of the church’s charity work.

The service welcomes about 60 to 70 people, mostly those who are homeless or seniors, on Mondays and Thursdays.

Beth Piggott, an organiser of the programme, said it made a “tremendous” difference.

She explained: “They get a real breakfast, sometimes bread and extra bits to take away — it’s huge.

“We serve from 10am until 11am, some people won’t have eaten for a while, but they get their breakfast and that tides them through.

“People are extremely grateful and happy to be able to come in and they can socialise if they want.

“We get people that routinely sit together, so it becomes more of a social outing, especially for older people.”

The service is staffed by volunteers but assistance from organisations like Clarien allows the regular helpers to have a day off.

Ms Piggott added: “It’s good for the people that do come in to help. It helps to raise the awareness in the community and they can see for themselves first hand what we do.

“They can understand the extent of problems in Bermuda — people are hungry.”

Michael DeCouto, the bank’s chief digital and marketing officer, said about 12 members of staff helped as part of the bank’s charity efforts.

He explained: “Beyond the Clarien Foundation giving out donations to specific charities that provide vital services to our community, we encourage our employees to give their time. We have quarterly give back initiatives whereby we invite our employees to sign up to support a specific charitable cause.”

Mr DeCouto added: “The employees get great fulfilment by getting out into the community and giving wherever they can.”

Donations for the breakfast programme can be taken to the Anglican Cathedral on the City’s Church Street between 9am and 11.30am on Mondays and Thursdays.

For more information, e-mail Ms Piggott at bethp@northrock.bm.