Anna Chaplain Pam Shaw sends this report from Lowestoft:
We have for some time been looking into starting a Dementia Café which didn’t seem to be working out – but following the Rector’s request in August that he didn’t want it limited in any way, “as there are so many lonely people in our parish”, it suddenly seemed we knew where to go.
On September 9 we started a 'Community Friendship Café' in the Church Centre every Monday from 2.00-4.00, staffed by a team of four including Sarah and Pam, two Anna Chaplains, who have been visiting care homes for some years.
We invited our Church family to support the project by dropping in for a cuppa – or staying for longer – which they did and still do, with enthusiasm. The first week we had seven – and this week we had 23 - with people coming in who had heard about it on social media or via the posters we had put up.
We ran it totally free for the first four weeks, whilst we registered it with the Council, and now it is still free, but we accept donations if people offer them. We applied for, and have just been given a grant of £600 from the Diocesan' Sharing the Good News Fund, for set-up costs, which enabled us to buy tablecloths, brightly-coloured mugs and teacups, menu holders, a toaster, etc., and to be able to have something for the church towards heating. The menu changes weekly depending on what cakes we make, but always includes toasted tea cakes, Scotch pancakes made to order, and cheese scones.
The atmosphere is buzzing, and we are delighted to welcome so many people at this early stage of the project. Some like to chat, others just to sit and talk to their particular friends; games are available but so far no-one has had time to investigate them. We feel this has been a definite calling from God to extend the work we do, and we are just loving it.'
Pam, Sarah, Rachel and Charles
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