New community café at George Carnall Community Hub creates opportunities, confidence and connection

A new community café at the George Carnall Community Hub is already buzzing with life, bringing people together while creating meaningful employment opportunities for residents.

The Be Social Café, located inside the hub, has grown from a concept first developed in December 2022 into a vibrant café and welcoming community space.

The vision was simple: create a warm social space that serves great coffee while opening real work opportunities for people supported through Away Day Care’s Works 4 Me Job Club.

Over the following three years, that vision was carefully realised, transforming the space into a bright, modern and inclusive environment designed to welcome everyone.

That vision has become reality.

Graduates from the Works 4 Me Job Club are now working regular shifts in the café, gaining valuable customer-facing experience while building confidence, independence and workplace skills.

The newly remodelled café has also quickly become a thriving social hub where people can enjoy coffee and cake, meet friends and feel part of the wider community.

Kathryn Henshaw, Board Member, said: “What makes this project so special is the journey it has taken to get here. Since the original concept was developed in December 2022, this has been about much more than creating a café. The Community Group had the vision to create a welcoming community space for everyone.

Andy Brooks Commercial Manager, added: “We've been planning with Away Day Care for several years to create work experience opportunities for their service users.  Now that the cafe is open, the partnership is working far better than anticipated.  Our customers are really happy with the friendly service and have given us some great feedback”’

The success of the café demonstrates the power of partnership in creating opportunities, fostering inclusion, and strengthening local connections.

The Be Social Café is already making a meaningful difference, not just as a place to grab a coffee, but as a place where confidence grows, friendships form and futures begin to take shape.

Residents, members and local partners are encouraged to come along, enjoy a coffee and cake, and see how the Be Social Café is creating opportunities, connections, and community right in the heart of Trafford.