Downham Market Community Café’s appeal for help to expand services
A new community café in Downham has launched a crowdfunding appeal to help the centre expand its services to townspeople.
Downham Market Community Café, which officially opened in June to help feed those in need, is hoping to raise £2,000 to pay for further cooking facilities.
Emily Lightfoot, trustee responsible for community development, said: “The aim of the Community Café is to offer somewhere in the town where people struggling on low incomes and or pensions can come and get some homemade food and chat.”
The café, which is based at the Discover Downham Heritage and Learning Centre on Priory Road, is supported by the town’s Morrisons supermarket which donates ingredients.
But officials say the café currently offers homemade soup as a hot meal due to “poor cooking facilities”.
Emily said the funds they are hoping to raise would pay for counter-top cookers, soup kettles and slow cookers to increase their food offerings.
She added: “We open twice monthly at present, but hope to open more during school holidays and weekends – if we can get enough volunteers – so that families who might struggle to feed the children and themselves, can be catered for.”
Not just a place for food, officials also hope the café may be able to offer a range of other services, such as regular children’s activities, a knit and natter corner and a drop-in advice centre.
The crowdfunding appeal asks members of the community to support the project by pledging before October 23.
“The more funding we get, the cheaper the food will be, eventually free to those in need,” Emily added.
The community café is also in need of more volunteers to help with the running of it.
If you can help, get in touch with the café officials via the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/DMCommunitycafe.
The next community café event is set to be held at the Discover Downham Heritage and Learning Centre on Friday, September 7 from 11am to 2pm.
The afternoon will offer homemade soup at a low or free price to those on a low income, but all are welcome to attend.
To donate to the crowdfunding appeal, go to www.crowdfunder.co.uk/dmcommunitycafe.
