When you’re next enjoying that expensive cappuccino, or treating yourself to a meal at one of the city’s many restaurants, spare a thought for the staff who prepare it for you.

Many are on the minimum wage, and some are working for even less. I have worked in catering, doing six-hour shifts with only a ten-minute cigarette break.

The staff meal which was supposed to appear at the end of the shift did not materialise if the establishment was busy.

I was literally starving when I took off my apron. To help alleviate hunger, I took my own snacks to work with me.

Not only did I bake scones and cakes, but I also had to do huge amounts of washing up. Working in a kitchen is hazardous too – a momentary lapse of concentration can easily result in a nasty burn or scald.

Most people don’t appreciate just how hard the work is unless they have worked in catering themselves.

Jill Cowles, Windlesham Road, Shoreham