What is Roots?
Roots Coffee and Community has done amazing work serving the people of Kingsholm and the wider community for the last 10 years. It was set up by a small group of friends who felt compelled by their Christian faith to live out that faith in action by providing a community hub - a safe place for the people of Kingsholm to enjoy affordable coffee and cake, to gather and to share their common life.
During Covid lockdown, Roots became the centre for feeding people throughout Gloucester and coordinating various community programmes. Last year, a Refill shop was launched to provide affordable food without all the plastic packaging.
However, since lockdown, things have been hard - the cost of living, rising energy prices and the loss of key staff have all contributed towards a financial position that was unsustainable.
Why is Roots so important to Kingsholm?
Here's what some local people said:
- "I've loved Roots ever since I discovered you on the way to the hospital a few years ago, and have always welcomed any opportunity to return and drink coffee and eat delicious food - lunch, cakes, snacks. I particularly appreciate that I am able to bring my coeliac daughter here and know that she can find gluten free food as delicious as anything. Sitting at a table, quietly people watching, I have always appreciated what a real community you are, and with the word "Coffee" painted on the window in every language and script I can identify, I knew from the start how completely inclusive you are." (A local customer)
- “This unassuming café punches well above its weight in terms of being a real community asset. It has become the beating heart of Kingsholm and offers much to a wide range of communities and groups in the local area." (The Heritage Hub)
- “We are hugely indebted to Roots for the consistent, practical, proactive and responsive support they give to the school and wider community. We have extremely limited provision available in Kingsholm to make a real sustainable difference and create positive change. Life for our children and families would be much harder without them.” (Kingsholm School)
What is happening now?
Unfortunately, the problems that Roots encountered meant that by the end of 2023 it faced permanent closure.
But there is HOPE. Once the closure of Roots was announced, there was an incredible response from the local community. Ordinary people came together because they valued the role Roots played in building community and serving a variety of practical needs. As a result, it was felt important that some kind of RESCUE PLAN should be launched to continue the work of Roots but with renewed energy and purpose. All this requires effort - skills and experience needed to form a new management structure, new ideas about how to improve Roots and of course, money. We need money to secure the assets of the former business, to build up reserves and to establish a fighting fund for new equipment and to make changes that will help to Roots become more sustainable in the future.
Can you help us in this effort?
We are just ordinary people, who love Roots and don't want to see it close down permanently. Whatever you are able to give will be used to continue the work of Roots in serving the people of Kingsholm and ensuring that work continues and grows in the future.