Volunteers in a Swansea community have set up a welcoming cafe to cater for their own.
Toasted sandwiches, coffee and ice cream are among the treats being served up at Treboeth Community Centre’s Croeso Cafe thanks to the commitment of long-serving members.
Joyce Barker, chairperson of the centre’s management committee, was one of those behind the idea.
She now volunteers alongside about five others to prepare and serve snacks, do the washing-up and clean down food preparation areas in their new kitchen- and all for the benefit of centre users and visitors.
Myra Winkley, Joan Leonard, Olive James,Mary and John Hann and Margaret Webster are among the others behind the Croeso Cafe venture.
The volunteers also keep the books, handle money and develop new snack ideas based on feedback from their customers.
Treboeth Community Centre on Llangyfelach Road caters for about 200 people a week who attend a range of classes and activities such as line dancing, arts, pilates, flower arranging and mums and toddlers groups.
A community library is also available on site and all money taken from the cafe is reinvested back into the centre to benefit the community.
Joyce and her colleagues recognised the need for a cafe in their area and successfully applied for funding with the help of Swansea Council after attending a Community Matters conference where the seed of the idea was planted.
Joyce said: “We saw a need in the community for somewhere for people to meet, enjoy a cup of tea and a snack, read a newspaper or socialise with others but the idea really developed after attending the Community Matters conference. The cafe has been a real success story.”
The Croeso Cafe is open from 10am to 1pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Swansea Council runs 33 community centres across the city and 10 senior citizens pavilions.
Have a look at www.swansea.gov.uk/communitybuildings or call 01792 635415 for more information on the centres and services available.
