The situation:
United Methodist Church, Clifton, initially approached TfR in 2008, wanting to consider how it could maximise the potential of its building to support the local community. Clifton already had a very successful Friendship Group, attended by around 60 elderly people from the local community, and the Church was keen to ensure that any future plans would further support this identified user group.
How TfR helped
TfR supported the Church to consult with users and the local community and it became clear that there was a need for the building to have a larger and well equipped kitchen which could be used by groups using the premises but would also allow the Church to develop a Community Café. TfR signposted the group to SYFAB and two members of the Church were able to benefit from a funding course. In addition, to explore the viability of running a café, they were taken to visit Avalunch, a thriving project in Doncaster that TfR had supported in the past.
TfR further brokered a meeting between the Church and Age Concern, which resulted in Age Concern speaking at the Friendship Club, providing a letter of support for the Community Café project. In addition, TfR advised the Church to engage with Clifton Community Partnership and as a result they too provided a letter of support to the project.
TfR also was able to put the Church in contact with the South Yorkshire Development Manager at the Coalfields Regeneration Trust. Following a huge amount of work by members of the Church, with continued support from TfR, CRT offered a grant of £97,447 towards the cost of creating a new Community Café in March 2010.
What was particularly valued about the support received?
Jennifer Lovell, the café’s project coordinator says: “I would like to express my sincere thanks for the help we have received from TfR during our planning to improve our building and facilities to better serve the local community. From the initial meeting with the whole congregation, when we developed our “wish list”, to helping us to find the right grant body and supporting every aspect of our application their contribution and expertise has been invaluable.”
What have been the results?
The CRT funding will pay for the existing kitchen area to be re-furbished and improved - doubling its size – and for tables and chairs to create a café environment capable of serving up to a hundred people. The Community Cafe will allow people of all ages, from across the community to gather and integrate, whilst enjoying a healthy, affordable meal. It will also act as an information access point for the community, making it easier for local people to find out information that will improve their quality of life. The project coordinator adds that, “without the experience and knowledge of TfR staff we would have struggled to reach such an excellent conclusion.”