Congresbury community café raised £1013.00 in May for the ‘Great Western Air Ambulance’ and a further £403.00 for the Children’s Hospice South West in June.
Since April 2021 the café, in association with Debbie Fortune estate agents manage a ‘Support the community initiative’ where surplus profits from the cafe are used to support village organisations, activities, and some local and national charities.
The initiative has raised a total of £7,162.00 so far, by helping the following:
• Children’s Hospice South West
• Great Western Air ambulance
• FND Hope UK
• Little Rascals baby & toddler group
• Red Cross Ukraine appeal
• Save the Children Ukraine appeal
• Weston Hospicecare
• Congresbury Community Pre school
• Senior citizens lunch club
• Children in Need
• Macmillan Cancer Support
• Congresbury Youth Partnership
• St Andrews PTA
The cafe opened 3 years ago operating in rooms and a courtyard, kindly donated, free of charge by Debbie Fortune estate agents.
Run entirely by volunteers, it was initially set up to raise funds for a new village hall. When that project closed, the project team, in liaison with Debbie Fortune Estate Agents agreed to retain the popular café. Details are available on the café website www.congresburycoffee.org .
The café is open on Wednesday and Friday mornings from 9 till 1pm and alternate Saturdays from 10 till 3pm. It also runs a Glut Market where villagers can donate surplus vegetables and plants which are available for a donation.
The Debbie Fortune Estate Agents team also support many, many other local charities, events, and clubs from the Congresbury Lawn Bowls team to Winston’s Wish, a charity raising money to help support grieving children. The staff are very much part of our local community and the staff giving back both their time and the valuable funds they raise has been very much the basis upon which the business has grown to be so well supported and cherished.
Ian Sheppard for the café said “The café is a community facility where people can meet up in a safe environment enjoying freshly brewed hot drinks and delicious homemade cakes. Our volunteers who bake cakes and / or help run sessions get something back from helping their community.”
“We would not able to do this without the generosity and continued support of Debbie Fortune Estate Agents in allowing us use of the rooms and courtyard. Working together we are looking at options for improving the cafe including a permanent gazebo.“
