1/5/2008

Community Matters

Learning kitchen skills at new cafe

A CHARITY that works with people who have learning difficulties is to open a café where everyone can socialise.

The White Lodge Centre in Chertsey works with more than 500 disabled people and their families, carers and communities.

Its latest venture is Rendezvous, which will have  the Bradbury Café at its heart, where people can gather information and meet up with friends for a coffee or lunch. Building of the centre’s new wing has been gradually taking shape and Rendezvous is due to open in June.

The café will be run as a social enterprise, employing disabled people and offering them training opportunities.

The space will be used for demonstrating equipment and for a consortium of voluntary organisations to work together, to make sure people have faster access to the right support.

Jacky Monery, head of fundraising, said: “The café will offer disabled people training opportunities to gain life skills towards independence.

“It will help them build the confidence and skills to undertake formal training in catering, with a view to volunteering or paid employment.

“This will reduce social isolation and increase people’s confidence and self esteem.”

White Lodge has requested £6,555 to equip the kitchen with specialist assessment equipment so that disabled adults can be trained.

First printed in: Woking News and Mail