Community cafe focused on residents' well-being

Dave McPartlin and Mark Spencer said they wanted to create a "youth club for families"

A new coffee shop has opened in Fleetwood, aimed at improving the mental well-being of local people.

The Strive Cafe, in Fleetwood, is the brainchild of GP Dr Mark Spencer and Dave McPartlin, head teacher of Flakefleet Primary School.

They wanted to create a "youth club for families", where the community can come together and groups can meet.

It also provides a drop-in centre for local mums, allowing them to access advice and support from the county council and Healthier Fleetwood.

'Better than watching telly'

Mr McPartlin said: "We had this big dream many years ago - what would it be like if you created a school all over again?

"Well, actually, I'd have NHS on site, police, social services, family, health and well-being all coming together - and that's what we've got.

"Life's been really, really tough with the cost-of-living crisis, and now we can help with that - with somewhere that you can come, have a brew, speak to people, make friends and come together."

"We're trying to improve people's health by bringing people together in a space that's warm and welcoming," said Dr Spencer.

"Connecting with each other as human beings is so, so beneficial for our emotional well-being and for our mental health.

"People's mental health has taken a bit of a battering during lockdown, Covid and the economic crisis - so we're creating somewhere that people can connect to other people.

"That's heaps better for our health than sitting at home on your own watching telly."