Maximise The Canvas community space!

Funded on
27 Aug 2019

We're a not-for-profit vegan cafe and community hub incubating grassroots positive activism. We need to maximise our potential for social change by improving our spaces to better serve our community.

£20,485 Raised of £20,906

144 Backers

97%

Updates

Our Community Hub - the heart of our social enterprise5 years ago

Offered as a gift for the launch of new ideas that improve others' lives

Our amazing new kitchen5 years ago

We can now triple the number of free meals we send out to our local community

Our cafe's new look5 years ago

Opening hours Sun-Mon 10-6 / Tues-Sat 10-10

We're open - and we look amazing!5 years ago

It's been a challenging 18 months but we're back open and, thanks to your donations, The Canvas has a complete new look! We really hope you love what we've done, we'll be posting more pictures as we get them. THANK YOU for your support and belief in us!

Maximise The Canvas community space! published their Delivery Report!5 years ago

Big plans post-covid6 years ago

Hi everyone - and big apologies for the radio silence, but a global pandemic sure throws all your plans up into the air! But we're back open - and providing regular free home cooked meals to people in need in our local area (soon to be 250 meals every week!), thanks to the new kitchen equipment your support enabled 💪 - and there are hugely exciting plans being drawn up for the continuation of our refurbishment. Our newly renovated Community Hub will be reopening for events in the autumn, subject to government guidelines, and we'll start the large work on the basement space, garden and cafe by the end of the year - expect changes much larger than we ever dreamed, thanks to the input of an incredible design team, offering their services free of charge. We are so incredibly lucky, and will be posting photos on here as the work starts. Much love and thanks, Ruth and Team Canvas x

Community Hub6 years ago

More pics :)

Community Hub6 years ago

More pics :)

Community Hub6 years ago

More pics :)

Community Hub6 years ago

More pics :)

http://www.thecanvascafe.org

When we opened in 2014, we were a team of just five.

We wanted to create a space tackling loneliness and isolation, and so invited customers to share their thoughts, ideas, secrets and stories on the walls; our ever-evolving piece of live art that makes us a true blank canvas to everyone who walks through our door.

In 2015, we became London's first Happy Cafe, making a commitment to Action for Happiness' 10 keys to happier living.

In 2016, we opened up the room next to our garden and gifted it to the Museum of Happiness for a year-long residency.

In 2017, we launched our Community Hub, creating a free events space specifically for Londoners with great ideas that will improve the lives of others.

In 2018, our Cafe became 100% vegan, because it's the most cruelty-free option for ourselves, animals, and the planet. It's a form of positive social action, which is what we are all about.

Towards the end of last year, we launched our Hot Meals for the Homeless campaign, providing much-needed hot meals for the homeless members of the Crisis Skylight Centre. So far, we've provided over 400 meals and have many more to come.

Now, in 2019, we're a team of fourteen passionate people, running a multi-faceted Community and Creative venue that hosts between 50-60 events every month. We're a thriving vegan Cafe serving home-made, locally sourced and seasonal breakfasts, lunches and treats, and - crucially - we are a vision for the future, where hope and humanity are prioritised over profits.

Project Owner: Gossip Projects Limited The Project Owner takes legal responsibility for receiving and spending the funds raised and ensuring the project is delivered.

Contractor : Darren Keene The team responsible for building or installing the project.