Logo

 

Banner Image:   Baptist-Times-banner-2000x370-
Template Mode:   Baptist Times
Icon
    Post     Tweet

Church Links with Social Enterprise to Open Café with a Difference 

February 2013

A Baptist church has teamed up with a social enterprise to house a café in its new building that is staffed by adults with learning difficulties


The Links Café at Shrewsbury Baptist Church gives both experience and training to its volunteers to enable them to gain employment.


The volunteers are drawn from local special schools and other contacts the church and those behind the enterprise have.

Church links with social enter

The café is open Thursdays, Fridays and some Saturdays, and those involved at Links include a specialist speech and language therapist, a qualified teacher for adults with learning difficulties, a social worker and a trained chef. Profits are ploughed back into supporting the volunteers.

At any one time at least one if not two members of Shrewsbury Baptist Church are present.

The Revd Charles Crosland said the café had proved popular. 'It's been a phenomenal success, in terms of people who have come in.

'I was in this morning and it was full. It has also attracted many people with learning difficulties - we are in a modern building that is fully accessible. It's not unique to churches, but for us it's been a brilliant experience.'

 
The café has been made possible by the church's new building. Shrewsbury Baptist Church is an amalgamation of two Baptist churches, Crowmoor and Claremont. Services are taken in the former Crowmoor building on the outskirts of town, while the former Claremont building in the town centre opened after a complete reconstruction last year.

As well as the Links Café, it has generated much use since then, with art exhibitions, food festival and exam sitting by a local sixth form all featuring.

'I always thought that having a fantastic building in the centre of the town would do very well, and we have been able to build these relationships,' added Charles.
    Post     Tweet
HEBA Home Mission Stories
Examples of how Home Mission funds are being used in the Heart of England Baptist Association
SubArticleD2019
‘I went home feeling refreshed and hopeful for our church’s future’
The latest Small Church Connexion hub was planted at an event wonderfully hosted by Perry Beeches Baptist Church, North Birmingham
'Making the word of God and the Christian message available to its local community'
A Birmingham Baptist church is bringing people together in its busy high street coffee shop, thanks to a grant from Baptist Insurance
Spreading the message of peace in Rugby 
Since 2004 the garden at Rugby Baptist Church has been a haven of peace in Rugby town centre. Now it is home to the first ‘Peace Pole’ in the town – a pole inscribed with the message "May Peace Prevail on Earth'' in several languages
From silver to gold 
How Fernhill Heath Baptist Church continued its Eco Church journey and became the second Baptist church to achieve the gold award
Baptist minister's Park Run challenge for the BSL Bible Translation Project 
Baptist minister the Revd Susan Myatt aims to raise £1500 for the BSL Bible Translation Project, which will provide 'an invaluable, long-awaited resource' to the Deaf Community and the wider church
‘The new church and community centre is all about people and God’s care for them’  
After years of planning, praying, and perseverance, ground was broken on Evesham Baptist Church’s new site in late November
     Regional News 
    Posted: 01/03/2023
    Posted: 12/11/2021
    Posted: 06/10/2021
    Posted: 27/08/2021
    Posted: 12/01/2021
    Posted: 02/12/2020
    Posted: 12/07/2019
    Posted: 15/01/2019
    Posted: 22/10/2018
    Posted: 19/09/2018