Sunshine Cafe celebrates anniversary

Sunshine Café, which acts as a social hub for the villages of Leeswood & Pontblyddyn, is celebrated its first anniversary on May 9^th. The morning’s filling included the usual fare of hot chocolate, teacakes and laughter.

Shereen Devine, Community Development Worker for Volunteering Matters, the national charity that supported setting up the Café, said: “We celebrated the amazing volunteering and custom that has led to the success of our Community Café. “With the nearest Café a bus ride away, Volunteering Matters recognised that people needed somewhere to meet to have a coffee and natter, and thanks to local people’s help in refurbishments, and the weekly support of volunteers, we have made this happen.”

The Café, which operates out of Leeswood Community Centre, is open 9-12 on Thursdays. The first year has seen around 30 people come in every week, ranging from parents and babies to people in their nineties. The Café is now completely self-financing, and even makes a small surplus, which will be used to replace essential equipment when needed and to support other community projects.

The Café, is one just one of Volunteering Matters Rural Wisdom achievements designed to reduce isolation in rural areas.