Discover Our Community Hub

Welcome to the Old Chapel Cafe

Experience the warmth and connection at the Old Chapel Cafe, where community and coffee blend perfectly. Chilled cafe, activity space, volunteering, community ventures, support – all rolled into one!

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Our Mission and Vision

Old Chapel Cafe is dedicated to fostering a vibrant, welcoming and inclusive community. Our mission puts relationship at the heart of creating a welcoming space where everyone feels at home, whilst developing activities that allow people to grow. We also want to support and help develop our local community.

Meet Our Dedicated Team

Meet the people on the leadership team that runs The Old Chapel Cafe behind the scenes.

Lorna Sears

Director

Sonia Holdsworth

Director

Joy Wardle

Martin Ankers

Director

Sonia

Sonia has worked in the voluntary and community sector for over 25 years. She has a passion for building community and after completing her Masters in Community Leadership she was excited to have a go for real.

She has been involved with The Old Chapel Cafe and Community Space from the start.
The first job she undertook was helping to clear the derelict building. This meant pulling ivy off the walls, taking down the tree growing in what would become the cafe, and filling several skips with all sorts of debris. She then converted her old VW campervan to be able to house a water urn and hand wash sink and spent 12 weeks of the summer selling coffee and cake in the car park.

8 years later, she now loves sitting in the wing back chair in the corner to watch community in action: chatting with customers, joining in with the singing group on a Thursday and attempting to speak Welsh with the weekly Welsh speaking group!

“I’ve made so many friends at the chapel, and it still humbles me when volunteers come and give their time to support us. We are all invested in creating a space where people feel welcome, included, and always get to eat good cake!”
“Sonia gives so much of herself to the Chapel, practically building fences, shovelling, but she always has time to talk, to care and to give”
(Chapel volunteer)

Joy

Joy is passionate about people and building community through food. She has been involved with The Old Chapel Cafe and Community Space since the beginning, taking on a variety of roles. She has done it all: from baking cakes to sell out of the back of a campervan to shovelling 15 tons of gravel on the car park! She has helped to develop a full menu in the cafe to include a weekly home cooked meal, and her infamous lemon drizzle cake.

Joy has worked in care for over 35 years and has a passion for helping people to reach their full potential, supporting them to face and overcome challenges to achieve this. She supports people with additional needs to volunteer and gain work skills and confidence in the kitchen and the cafe. Some of those individuals have moved on to employment whilst others still volunteer with us.

“The cafe has allowed me to have many more people in my life, which I love – I have reconnected with old friends and made new ones, it’s a great community to be part of.”
“ [I’m] so happy to have this wonderful lady in my life, one word to sum up Joy – ‘giving’ she freely gives her time, care and herself”

Lorna

Lorna has spent most of her life working for the NHS. Initally as a nurse, midwife and district nurse and later as a manager and service developer. She took her skills in service development to Asia with her husband where they worked for a Christian NGO.

Now back in the UK she continues to work part time as a Life Coach and personal development trainer and is passionate to encourage people!

Alongside volunteering with the Old Chapel Café she sews, creates and tends her family and allotment.

Martin

Martin has had a life-changing illness for over 20 years. He now volunteers with the project, having been with it since the start.

He is interested in how developing community can help people from all walks of life to feel better, improve their mental health and find a place to belong.

Martin is at the Chapel most Thursdays and you’ll often find him talking to other groups and people about how to develop community-focussed ideas and get money!

Our Journey Through Time

Discover the rich history and evolution of Old Chapel Cafe, a cornerstone of community spirit and camaraderie.

Our project has come a long way – a disused building transformed into a community hub and cafe.

Building History

What Sets Us Apart

Our Unique Offerings

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Community Events

From craft to music and Welsh language, our events are designed to bring people together and celebrate local culture.

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Ideas Started

We are committed to building community and helping people get ideas going.

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Home-made Menu

Our menu features fresh ingredients, meat from a local butchers and the ever-popular home-made cake.

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Cozy Atmosphere

Our cafe offers a warm, inviting environment perfect for relaxation and socializing.

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Community Garden

Our garden provides fresh produce for our kitchen and a peaceful retreat for our guests.

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Great Coffee

We serve expertly crafted coffee, made with beans sourced from a local supplier.

Join Us at Old Chapel Cafe

Experience the warmth of community and make a difference by visiting us today. Participate in our engaging activities or support our mission to create a positive social impact.

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