Cafe to launch community hub to help people connect

Catering manager Clare Kendall says she wants to make a difference in the community

A catering manager is launching a new community space to help people make friends.

Clare Kendall, from Warfield in Berkshire, runs the Potting Shed Cafe at Oaktree Garden Centre.

From next month, she will host weekly sessions designed to bring people together.

Activities will include mindfulness sessions like reiki, coffee and chat drop-ins, craft mornings with card design and wreath making, and IT support for those needing to improve their skills. .

Ms Kendall said: "It's about making something for everyone to enjoy, to be a part of and to feel included."

After being diagnosed with ADHD, she said she wanted to create "a special space and give something back".

The idea came after attending a concert alone and discovering a hub for solo attendees looking to make friends.

She aims to build "a friendly environment that enables people of all walks of life to connect either through conversation or creating."

'Bring joy'

She hopes the space will help people feel "less lonely by having a place to go".

Each weekday will feature a different free session.

"Mindful Mondays" will include reiki and mental health talks. Tuesdays will host at "chatty table" drop-in, Thursdays an IT clinic, and on Fridays there will be a crafting centre.

Ms Kendall said: "We are looking for anyone who can entertain us, educate us or generally make us feel better.

"If you are a crafter, a juggler, a ventriloquist or an entertainer and want to bring joy to the community then I urge you to contact us."