On 18 October Support Cambridgeshire hosted its first Practitioner Workshop, focusing on community cafés.

There was a great turn-out, with 17 people representing 10 existing and prospective community cafés from across the county. Many of them are involved in plans for a new community building, where it is hoped that a community café will be a central part of the building’s identity.

The workshop was lead by Ben Pitt, Communities Officer at Hunts Forum, who in his spare time has helped to launch a community café at his local community centre, Love’s Farm House.

The workshop started by exploring the benefits of community cafés: to bring the community together, encourage regular use of a community building, provide volunteering and training opportunities and lots more besides. The group then proceeded to discuss what key ingredients are needed to make it work: meeting the demands of the local customer base, ensuring quality produce and an appealing environment, and developing a sustainable business plan with a realistic expectation on volunteers. It also touched on food safety training, kitchen fit-outs, fundraising opportunities and modelling income.

What people said about the event:

Really helpful to hear from people with experience. Particularly please to pick up tips on modelling profit and loss.

Very good to share ideas – so much to think about… Loved the personal experience of setting up a café.

Great formula! This is vital to what we are doing right now.

Really useful, learnt a great deal. Thank you so much. Another event please!

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