Resurrected Bites, a community organisation has launched a new voucher scheme for its community cafes to help tackle loneliness and isolation.
Resurrected Bites works to reduce food waste and food poverty by ‘filling bellies not bins’.
The aim of the scheme is that the vouchers, which cost £10 each, will be bought by members of the public and gifted to family, friends and neighbours who might benefit from meeting new people.
They can also enjoy a three-course meal at any of Resurrected Bites’ community cafes in Harrogate, Killinghall or Knaresborough.
The cafes are open to everyone, not just those in food poverty or on a low income.
They are for anyone who enjoys good company, good conversation and good food in a warm welcoming space where there is a real sense of community and friendship.
Michelle Hayes, founder and CEO of Resurrected Bites set up the charity in 2018 after conducting an audit of perceived unmet needs in Harrogate.
The resulting report Minding the Gaps, showed that loneliness and isolation were thought to be the primary concerns in the local community.
According to the Campaign to End Loneliness, an initiative which is hosted by Sheffield Hallam University, in 2022, 49% of adults (25.99 million people) in the UK reported experiencing feelings of loneliness, with 7.1% (3.83 million) experiencing chronic, long-term loneliness.
Commenting on the launch of the voucher scheme, Michelle said:
“It’s no coincidence that we chose to launch our new initiative during national Loneliness Awareness Week.
"We know that loneliness can impact people of all ages, from all backgrounds for all sorts of different reasons, but we want to highlight that there’s lots of support available and no-one needs to feel alone.
“We want to spread the word that our cafes are safe, supportive places where there’s no judgement and everyone is respected, welcomed and valued."
A customer who started going to the café in Harrogate following her husband’s death said:
“I was really struggling and people kept suggesting I go to bereavement counselling, but I knew that wasn’t right for me.
"All I really wanted was to sit and chat in an informal environment, without any pressure or expectation, to people who might understand how I was feeling.
"And now I come each week to meet up with the people I have met through the community cafe.”
The vouchers can be purchased on the Resurrected Bites website and all funds raised will go towards covering the running costs of Resurrected Bites’ community cafes, and its community groceries in Harrogate and Knaresborough, which provide affordable, fresh food to people on a low income.
Resurrected Bites is also looking for people to run activities like a Bridge club, knitting group or book club in its cafes.
Anyone who is interested should get in touch with Michelle Hayes at ceo@resurrectedbites.co.uk
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