An opportunity arose in June 2019 when Labyrinth Holistic Community Café had to close their current café based on Dovecot Street in Stockton. Five Lamps heard that they had to relocate and contacted the owner to advise them that they had an under-utilised café that they were hoping could be brought back to life.
Over three years ago, the café based at South Thornaby Community Centre was ran by volunteers and provided a space for the community to enjoy home cooked meals. Unfortunately since the volunteers retired, the café has been used sparsely.
However, the café will now be brought back to life and reopened by Labyrinth who will be offering a safe community space for people to enjoy an affordable, low cost meal whilst socialising with their friends, family and neighbours. The café will initially open on a Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday between 10:00 and 14:00 and will serve a variety of home cooked meals.
On Tuesday lunchtimes the café will be delivering a lunch club for the elderly between 12:30 – 13:30, this will include a two course home cooked meal for £4.
As well as a community café, Labyrinth will also be running a food bank from South Thornaby Community Centre, where organisations can refer individuals or families who may be in need and do not meet the criteria for other food banks.
Nicola Garrett, Director of Corporate Services Five Lamps said,
“It is brilliant to see the café at South Thornaby Community Centre brought back to life for the local community. As well as being as being a space for people to socialise and access affordable healthy meals, we are working with Labyrinth on a longer term plans to respond to some of the issues facing our community.”
Deborah Bailey- Knibbs, Labyrinth said,
“Labyrinth and the community of Stockton are so grateful to Five lamps who have truly shone a light on a very dark time, here is to a mutually beneficial partnership”
Members of the public are welcome to attend South Thornaby Community Café, open Mondays to Wednesday 10am till 2pm. The Community Centre is on Havilland Road, Thornaby, Stockton-on-Tees, TS17 9JG.
To find more information on Labyrinth, please visit their Facebook page- @Labyrinthatfivelamps