A new café has opened at our extra care scheme in Ryde, aiming to give residents a welcoming space to have a coffee, catch up with friends and reduce social isolation.
The grand opening at Ryde Village was a big success, with lots of residents turning out to celebrate. The café serves hot drinks, snacks, and sandwiches, and any small profit goes straight into the residents’ fund to support future activities and events.
Samantha Cronnelly, Scheme Manager at Ryde Village, said: “I wanted to create a space where residents, their friends and family, could get together and form friendships. A lot of our residents live alone, so it’s nice for them to have somewhere to meet up and have a chat, with the feeling that they’re out in the community.”
Residents of the scheme were fully involved in launching the café, including choosing the name, designing the logo and even helping to run it day-to-day.
For Steve, who has previously worked in catering, volunteering in the café has given him something to focus on. He said: “I moved into Ryde Village in March and wanted to stay active, even though I’ve had some health challenges. Helping in the café gives me the chance to mix with people and keep busy.”
Another resident, Jeanette, who has just moved in commented on how impressed she was with the café. She added: “It’s really nice to come and have a hot drink with others, instead of sitting in your flat by yourself.”
The café is already proving popular, and the team has big plans to involve their neighbours at Woodland View too.
