Café Augustine

Three Chef's in the Café

Café Augustine is in the heart of the former St Augustine’s Catholic Church which underwent regeneration three and a half years ago. The ethos behind the Café and also the Centre was to provide meaningful opportunities to people who are marginalised. Café Augustine not only provides a safe working environment; it also encourages training, personal development and growth. The young people who have carried out work experience have all benefited from their time at Café Augustine and have either obtained a place at College on a Catering Course or gone on to work in the Catering Sector.

In our recent visit from the Environmental Health Department we received a Four Star Award. The café is fast becoming a haven of rest in a busy world, for those who come to the Avenham Centre for courses, for Sixth Form College students or University students or simply for passers-by. Managing the café for the last two and a half years has been Bev Stevenson who has now also been appointed to the post of Manager of the charity shops.

The two Charity Shops that operated up to the end of February 2009 were Plungington Road and New Hall Lane, both in Preston. Plungington Road has had a settled team of volunteers over the years, whilst New Hall Lane drew on a group of volunteers with mild learning difficulties. These were each supported by a volunteer and formed the core of the team at the shop.

Over the one and a half years it was open New Hall Lane struggled to break even, and it was decided to look for other premises and close the shop. Suitable premises have been found at Lane Ends, Ashton and there are great hopes for the new shop. Many of the New Hall Lane shop volunteers have expressed a wish to continue to work at the Lane Ends shop. Meanwhile the Plungington Road shop continues to trade energetically with its experienced team of volunteers, many of whom have supported the Agency and the Charity Shop since its opening in 1992.