Community Café:

A Hub for Wellbeing & Connection

The Community Café operates on a fortnightly basis throughout the year, providing a welcoming, inclusive space where individuals and families from all backgrounds can come together. More than just a place to eat, the Café is a vibrant community hub that fosters social connections, reduces isolation, and supports overall well-being.

Workshops & Activities Showcase

Each session, our café coordinator or workshop leader introduces an upcoming workshop, offering participants a preview of engaging activities such as mindfulness, music, yoga, and arts-based sessions. These activities not only enrich lives but also empower individuals to develop new skills, enhance their mental well-being, and build a stronger sense of belonging within the community.

By integrating a multicultural approach, the Café ensures that all voices are heard and celebrated. It serves as a platform for cultural exchange, where participants can share traditions, experiences, and stories over a meal, reinforcing our core values of inclusivity and unity.

Additionally, the Café provides free and low-cost food items to individuals and families in need, ensuring that access to nutritious meals is not a privilege but a right. Through this initiative, we actively combat food insecurity while promoting healthier lifestyles and food sustainability.

Community Fridge at Selhurst Merky FC HQ: Fighting Food Insecurity & Social Isolation

The cost-of-living crisis continues to affect those dependent on benefits and insecure work, making access to nutritious food a daily struggle. Our Community Fridge initiative is a powerful response to this challenge, offering more than just food—it fosters a true sense of community, builds meaningful connections, and strengthens support networks.

Our approach goes beyond traditional food distribution. The Community Fridge is a space where individuals can collect surplus food, reducing waste while ensuring that no one in our community goes hungry. It also serves as a meeting point, encouraging people to come together, share experiences, and engage in positive social interactions. Whether someone stops by for a food item or simply for a cup of tea and a chat, the Fridge helps break down social barriers and promotes inclusivity.

The initiative is particularly crucial for those recovering from the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, providing stability, dignity, and a sense of belonging to those who need it most.

Our Partnership with FareShare: Expanding Our Impact

Through our partnership with FareShare, we maximize our ability to provide fresh, nutritious food to underserved members of the community. FareShare food donations help stock our Community Fridge and support our Café, allowing us to extend our reach and help even more individuals. We use these food items in two primary ways:

• Direct distribution through the Community Fridge, where residents can access essential items.

• Incorporation into meals served at our Café and community events, ensuring that those engaged in our activities also receive proper nourishment.

Each week, we support up to approximately 300 individuals through our combined Café and Fridge initiatives, with plans to expand as more resources become available. This work would not be possible without the incredible generosity of our partners and the commitment of our volunteers, who dedicate their time to making a real difference in people's lives.