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Latest News
BBQ Cafe
After weeks of meetings to plan, we opened on 7th September with 4 young people from Greatfield and Bransholme, Rev Rachel Ganney and Frank from St John’s church (where we ran the cafe), Julia and me. The young people consisted of three girls, one who was 7 months pregnant but still managed to turn up every day and served drinks, and a lad, the driving force behind the cafe. He was charming to the customers, always arrived early and stayed late, and wrote on his facebook page that these were the happiest days of his life! We were joined later in the fortnight by another 3 young people from the Boulevard area.
We received a seedbed grant for £360, and spent no other money. We set up a gazebo in the garden of the church, and chairs and tables, and operated a constant barbeque, with homemade scones, biscuits, plum jam from harvesting the plum trees in the garden, and hot drinks. The young people delighted in learning to cook, and became proficient especially at the baking – something none of them had done previously. We had a fairly steady stream of customers – mostly through our personal invitations. One person had organised for an old people’s home to visit, producing much excitement and demand for scones! Some people brought their work meetings to the cafe. We also had some local passers-by who came in and Rachel was able to spend time with, introducing her and the church as well as the cafe. The cafe was not without its traumas and although the young people were generally inspired and motivated, on one occasion the cold, tiredness and lack of customers got the better of them so we closed early.
On the last day we interviewed each young person, trying to establish their next step and the support they would need to go further. My delight was that all of them went on to attend a Level 2 Food Hygiene course at Hull College. If they pass they would then have their first qualification each – one which could enable them to be considered for further work in catering. The hurdles that each young person had to overcome to attend this day course were immense, and the college does not make any allowances! However, an introduction to real life where expectations are high and one must adapt to fit in is a valuable gift to these young people.
I was very pleased with the 2 week project. I think the very fact that 4 young people who usually do nothing more than get up at midday, smoke dope and watch TV were able to arrive at 10am on the bus, dressed in uniform (we bought them white T shirts which they took care of), work a physically demanding 5 hour day, keep cheerful and polite and stick to some rules, and keep this going for a fortnight is nothing short of a miracle in itself. We built a little community of relationship and purpose and they all miss it now. Skills were passed on knowingly and unknowingly. 4 young people got a glimpse of a different way of living, and possibly a different view of their own futures.
Tessa
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