Community Cafe in east Kent wins national award for Covid-19 efforts

The Umbrella Cafe CIC in Whitstable reopens with Pay What You Can menu and Social Pantry project

The Umbrella Cafe CIC in Whitstable has been rewarded for its social initiative during the Covid Pandemic by the National Care Caterers in the 'Triumph Over Adversity' category .

Closed in March, the cafe immediately collaborated with local charities Food Friends and Whitstable Umbrella Centre to make and deliver home-cooked meals to local vulnerable households.

This project was called the Community Dinner Fund and reached 172 beneficiaries, with help from 700 hours of volunteer time and more than 3,000 meals cooked, with help from funding from multiple sources, including KCC Member Grant, Colyer Ferguson, National Lottery Community Fund Awards for All and local Rotary Clubs.

A social enterprise, the not for profit cafe continued in its vision to decrease local social isolation and food poverty when it reopened in September.

Having achieved some £7,000 from a Just Giving Crowdfunder in just 24 hours, and funding from National Lottery Community Partnership Fund (in partnership with Whitstable Umbrella Centre) and the Social Enterprise Support Fund via the School for Social Entrepreneurs, the cafe is now open four days per week (Monday/Tuesday/Friday/Saturday) and is piloting a Pay What You Can menu. 

Wednesdays and Thursdays sees the Social Pantry Project partner with Fareshare Kent, neighbourly and local supermarkets and suppliers to use their surplus produce in the Pantry. Members can pay £4 per shop of produce including meat/dairy/fruit/vegetables/ambient produce/treats/drinks. One shop will usually be worth £20-25.

Additionally the team have support built around this project, such as creative drop ins, recipe support, housing advice and IT support. There are also plans to add cookery workshops and a weekly breakfast club as well.