Cafelias - The inclusive, accessible space

Aim

Cafélias will be a play café and a space for families and people with alternative abilities to access food, fun and community, in Oxford

What we used the money for

£22 000 was raised in the space of 5 days! Absolutely astounded by the response and 2 years on we are so eternally grateful.

The money was used to buy merchandise for Cafélias - including branded plates, bowls and coffee cups. These remain available for purchase at our groups and we use them as welcome gifts for events to our families.

In the year following the successful crowdfunding campaign we invested in some quality play equipment and basic café-ware to run pop-up play spaces in Beckley Village Hall and Botley Community Hall. We ran a total of 3 pop-up weekends with a full service kitchen, 10 SEND exclusive groups, 1 panel discussion on inclusive employment and 7 weekday pop-up café all in the first year. 

In the second year we ran 4 further week day pop-up groups and a weekly support group later in the year running every Tuesday in Didcot, giving a space for more than 20 families to connect and find some support whilst caring for a child with disabilities. 

Our toys include switch activated toys, Toys focussed around speech and language as well as sensory toys such as fibre optics and light up pebbles. You can see them in action on our Instagram page @cafelias or on Facebook. We also have a gallery at www.cafelias.co.uk

As of 2025 we have partnered with Oxfordshire Family Support Network (OXFSN) to create an early years group running on Fridays (www.cafelias.co.uk/pop-ups) - This is funded by Global's Make Some Noise and hope will continue for many more years going forward. 

What's next and why is Cafélias needed?

Oxford still lacks social spaces catering to the specific needs of people, especially children, with alternative abilities.  Many still have to travel long distances to access appropriate spaces.  The dream for us to create a space on every high street - replacing your average coffee shop with a space that means you can enjoy time with EVERY member of your family regardless of their disability or neurodiverse needs. We want to change how the 'normal' space is designed to reduce barriers for carers and people with alternative abilities. 

Our mission is to reduce the isolation of living with (dis)abilities and nurture neurodiversity in Oxford and the surrounds with food, fun and community. A space where the staff understand the challenges you have faced, are facing and will face. Sometimes you just need to be heard, ask for some advice or sit, rest and be fed.

Why are we doing this?

Cafélias (Caf-eh-lee-ahs) was created in honour of our son, Elias, who died in 2021. He had a genetic condition, Williams-Beuren Syndrome, which affected his heart. He has an identical twin brother  who survives and now grows with his own alternative abilities.

Why us?

Cafélias is directed by Naz - a parent who worked 14 years as a doctor as well as experience of working in low-income countries to develop health services - She has lived-experience of medical complex children and learning disabilities and now developing lots of skills in child development and speech and language. She also loves solving problems and this one is not that complicated if you know what's it's like to live with disabilities - and our partners do know! That's why we are the right people to make this happen.

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made