The Proposal: To open a community café and have a regular space where people can come to eat, make friends and enjoy some entertainment and activities to not only help with mental and physical wellbeing but to also help create a sense of community whilst supporting other local businesses by the sharing of skills and resources. The café will act as a social hub, where people from all walks of life can connect - through a shared love and passion for good food, music and an interest in the community and social issues. With clear social objectives and a focus on the community as a whole the café will attract a variety of clientele ranging from families on low incomes that may not otherwise be able to afford to eat out – to ethical consumers with a desire to shop at a business that has a social impact.

What we'll deliver:

• Open a community cafe at Percy Barton House
• Install a new Kitchen

Why it's a great idea:

Our objectives are simple and can be summarised as follows: • To reduce food wastage by cooking meals from surplus food which would have otherwise been wasted and unused. • To help reduce food poverty and alleviate some of the effects of loneliness and isolation within the borough. • To work closely with local services and their clients and offer workshops – including cooking classes, teaching clients vital life skills such as how to cook healthy and nutritious meals. • To offer a safe and supportive space and work in conjunction with community groups - providing access to a space to hold social gatherings and workshops. • To create jobs and offer paid and unpaid opportunities for local residents – with a focus on the long term unemployed to work or volunteer with us. •To reduce the environmental impacts of wasted food. •To promote social inclusion and tackle stigma around using food banks.

Steps to get it done:

• Launch Community Cafe

We are currently confirming final permission for our project to be delivered at Percy Barton House. We are very confident that permission will be confirmed and in the unlikely event of it not being confirmed, the campaign will stop, all pledges will be refunded and no-one would be charged. WHAT IS THE CHALLENGE YOU WANT TO TAKE ON? Three challenges:  Reduce food waste  Alleviate poverty and social isolation  Cut emission of gases which contribute to climate change 1.9 million tonnes of food is wasted by the food industry every year in the uk – 250,000 of which is still edible. This equates to roughly 650 million meals! We propose to help combat these shocking figures by turning surplus food which would have otherwise gone wasted and used into delicious, nutritious and affordable meals to not only help curb unnecessary food wastage within the borough but to also help alleviate food poverty – with customers able to buy their meals on a pay what you can basis.