Target reached!
The extra funding will enable us to run an initial programme of events that will giv...
The extra funding will enable us to run an initial programme of events that will giv...
A new cafe in Hulme Community Garden Centre, offering cooking workshops, skills development courses & creative events alongside tasty food.
Mother and daughter team Janine and Zia James have run the café at Hulme Community Garden centre for over 7 years. Their commitment to the local community is being cemented in a new cafe venture. They have set up as a CIC with two new directors Laura and Catherine and have won the tender to take on the new Garden Centre café (a battle hard won!). Embedding themselves in the local community they are bringing their knoweldge, experience and love for the area to a new cafe enterprise.
Alongside amazing vegetarian and vegan food the new team are keen to create a space that is a point of connection and support for local residents. They will be running cooking workshops for adults and children; social clubs and skills development courses for individuals currently out of work. The organisation will be commited to boosting wellbeing, have a core environmental focus and seek to create jobs and work readiness opportunities for local residents.
To get started we are transforming the shipping container we have been given into a welcoming cafe with a professional kitchen. The container needs everything from the very basics including plumbing and electrics to flooring, plastering and decorating. Whilst we work on the body of the building we are asking for donations to help us fit out the café with seating, tables, a children and baby area and beautiful décor. We need assistance to recruit and train new staff, purchase equipment for workshops and most importantly, host an opening for the local community.
Your donations will help us build a space that will be the foundation for the inclusive community cafe we are committed to opening.
Four local women, we are all enthusiastic about fostering strong community networks through cooking tasty and affordable vegetarian and vegan food.
JANINE JAMES
Janine has over 20 years of experience running an independent catering business Café Oooh La La, 7 years of which have been at Hulme Community Garden Centre. During her time at the garden she has supported in the region of 50 volunteers, created 7 part-time jobs for local people and delivered catering for 75 events. In addition to trading as a cafe business Janine has delivered community baking courses and skills development for volunteers, supporting people back to work. Beyond the garden centre Janine has supported the development of Zion Centre’s Food & Mood mental health workshops as well as local Hulme festivals. Prior to establishing Café Oooh La La at the Garden Centre Janine was a resident chef for Welsh Circus No Fit State, crew caterer for the Big Green Gathering and Eden festivals as well as chef for Glastonbury dance tent four years in a row. Her event catering won numerous awards for her festival offer including Glastonbury Green Award (NCAS) 201 and Secret Garden – Best Breakfast Café on site (2013, 2014).
ZIA JAMES
Zia is currently working as community liaison and marketing manager for the NIA Centre. She is connected to the local community and outreach agencies fostering skills development programmes. She has worked within the catering industry for over 12 years developing festival food offers and contributing to the day to day management of Cafe Ooh La La.
CATHERINE ESSERY
Over the last 9 years Catherine has run a successful vegan catering business, Teatime Collective. Initially starting as a cafe in Hulme, the business now operates as a bakery and provides large scale event catering. She also works as a consultant chef for businesses looking to expand their vegan offerings. Prior this Catherine has 6 years catering experience. In 2018 she became a Managing Director at Firmstart CIC (St. Wilfrids Enterprise Centre) and is currently organising the restoration of the building.
LAURA MANSFIELD
Laura is a freelance curator developing food focused projects that bring together diverse communities. She has developed projects with The International Anthony Burgess Foundation, Special Collections Manchester Metropolitan University, The Lion Salt Works Cheshire and Museumand The National Caribbean Heritage Museum exploring different food histories. She currently co-programmes an annual festival for Hospitalfield Arbroath, Scotland showcasing local producers and developing a talks programme and creative workshops as part of her ongoing project www.FEASTjournal.co.uk
This project successfully funded on 12th October 2021