Cafe

HARP Café, which is situated in the Zion Community Centre, Hulme, was first opened in February 1994. Our main funding comes through the Mental Health Joint Commissioning Team.

The café is open Monday to Friday from 9 til 3, and serves cheap and nutritious food to people who use the centre, the local community and the staff working at the Zion. Hearty breakfasts are served til 11.30. Freshly made sandwiches, home baked cakes, fruit and delicious cappuccinos are available throughout the day.

We provide two freshly cooked, healthy and nutritious options for a hot lunch from 12.30 daily, one of which is always vegetarian. Meals are priced at £3 for waged people, students and part time workers and £2 for unwaged people living on benefits. We cook food from around the world and try new recipes all the time.

The café is run by volunteers who have had, or are experiencing, mental health needs. Volunteers are enabled to do this with the help and support of our café co-ordinators.

We welcome self-referrals, as well as referrals from professionals such as CPNs, Social Workers, GPs, Care Workers and Psychiatrists. All applicants are offered an informal interview where they can discuss their training needs, interests and goals. This also provides the volunteers with an opportunity to see the café in operation and to meet some of the existing volunteers.

Last year in the café we :

Received 87 enquiries and referrals about volunteering

Chopped 1560 onions

Sliced 2340 courgettes

Served 1300 baked potatoes

Sliced 3900 tomatoes

Cooked 2080 eggs

Served 1040 bacon butties

Poured 5200 cappuccinos and lattes

Sold 3120 bananas

Prepared 920 salad and fruit boxes

Served 8320 cups of tea

Sold 6500 vegetarian meals

Sold 7800 meat meals

Delivered 785 buffets

Our most popular meal of the year was chicken rice and peas and we sold a staggering 1560 portions!