The Community Café

What happens in our Community Café?

Open five days a week and sometimes Saturdays too, our community café is there for everyone to use as a base to meet friends, try out new hobbies, celebrate birthdays, cook a healthy, cheap meal, find out about other services or just log onto the internet using our free wifi. 

Community safety

  • We organised regular information and drop-in events with the Met’s Safer Neighbourhood Team and with our friends at Safer Merton in the Council. These include community discussions about Hate Crime, Meet the Wardens, e-bike safety and the Ward Panel meetings. 
  • We are also working with Merton Council to become a fully-registered Safe Haven. 

Extra help

  • Our regular expert visitors can offer additional advice and support in such areas as housing legal advice, fuel payments, help with the rising costs of living, saving energy and money, PIP entitlement, etc. 
  • These partners include Citizens Advice Lambeth and Merton, SW London Law Centres, Warm and Well (Wimbledon Guild) and Your Community Bank (local Credit Union). They visit regularly and you can find out more by contacting email hidden; JavaScript is required. 
  • We also run jumble sales and children’s clothes events, with the possibility of adding a baby-toddler group. Get in touch with email hidden; JavaScript is required to find out more.

Health in the community

  • We regularly liaise with Merton’s Community Health Champions and receive the follow-up information from Public Health, eg childhood immunisations, ‘flu and covid vaccinations, give up smoking service, NHS apps etc. 
  • We will be very happy to set up bespoke sessions for you and a group of friends about specific issues, and will put together trust-worthy information for you. Contact email hidden; JavaScript is required to find out more. 
  • We can also provide information for adults, parents and carers about drug and alcohol services and services to support people as well local groups and charities helping people to improve their own mental health.  
  • If you and your friends are interested in accessing training such as first-aid, mental health first-aid, food hygiene, finding out about the defibrillator we have on premises, do get in touch!

Making friends, learning new skills

  • We are very interested in supporting local unpaid carers – see separate post about Pollards Hill Carers.
  • Domiciliary (home) care workers. If you would like a base to rest, eat sandwiches, warm up your lunch, get a hot drink, use the toilets etc, you are more than welcome to use our café space during the day. If you would like a regular slot that we advertise so that you can meet co-workers regularly, contact email hidden; JavaScript is required. 
  • We are also trialling visits from the local Read Easy group – get in touch if you are interested in joining us! 

Food support

  • We run our food bank on Wednesdays from 11am. No need to pre-book or obtain advance vouchers – just turn up.  We can also provide information about the new Pantry initiative that is also in the New Horizon Centre. 
  • Cooking – we run cooking supper sessions for adults, and after-school or holiday cooking sessions for children and young people (accompanied).  Contact Aaliyah for news of our next sessions.
  • Gardening and growing food – sign up to volunteer regularly and help us to grow, harvest, cook and eat fresh produce.

Fitness and Health

Community cafe - people eating
Community Cafe - making pictures
Community Cafe - two people hug