A new café where you can choose how much you want to pay has opened its doors in Consett.
The Foundation For Good charity’s Wellbeing Community Café opened on Trafalgar Street on Monday, September 21.
It serves affordable food and offers support in a welcoming space with the hope of ensuring people can access a hot meal regardless of their financial circumstances.
(Image: ANDY FUTERS)
(Image: ANDY FUTERS)
The charity says the café builds on its community gym and food bank, supporting physical and mental wellbeing across the area.
Open Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm, it will serve breakfast, lunch and hot drinks, with standard-price and pay-as-you-can menus.
(Image: ANDY FUTERS)
Café manager Sarah explained how the scheme works.
(Image: ANDY FUTERS)
(Image: ANDY FUTERS)
She said: "We have two separate menus. One is our set-price one and the other is 'pay as you can'.
"That's open to absolutely everyone and we give them an envelope and they can leave a donation if they can.
"They put the envelope in a box and then we don't know who has paid what, so the customer still has their dignity if they can't afford to pay."
County Durham Lord-Lieutenant Mike Butterwick CBE opened the Wellbeing Café.
The Foundation For Good charity has been recognised with The King's Award for Voluntary Service.
In a statement, the charity said: "This recognition belongs to every volunteer, supporter, trustee, partner and member of our community who has helped Foundation For Good grow into what it is today.
"Our Wellbeing Café represents the next chapter of our journey, creating a welcoming, affordable and accessible space where people can enjoy good food, connect with others and access wider support when they need it."
(Image: ANDY FUTERS)
Founded by Fraser Neil as a community boxing gym, Foundation For Good now tackles food poverty, isolation and mental health problems.
Sarah said: "It's a community gym, and Fraser's big on supporting people's mental health and making sure they get a decent meal.
"That's where the café idea came from. It's about promoting positivity, making sure people get a hot meal and helping people's mental health as well."
The charity also runs a food bank that people can use without a referral.
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"We've had a lot of customers coming in and we've been hearing how much it means to them that they're getting a hot meal and that they've got their dignity," Sarah added.
Sarah is the café’s only paid employee, supported by volunteers who run the service and help the charity across the community.
The King's Award for Voluntary Service is the UK's highest honour for volunteer groups, recognising the charity's volunteers for their contribution to the community.