Outdoor community café pops up on Milton Keynes estate to beat social isolation

The pop up café will be outside the Woughton Community Council at the local centre in Garraways, Coffee Hall.

It will initially serve free coffee and cakes donated to the Community Fridge and will run on Wednesday afternoons.

After the easing of lockdown, Donna Fuller, Leader of Woughton Community Council decided to set up socially distanced tables on the green space outside the council offices.

She said “It’s time for us to start reconnecting with the community and the safest way for us to do that is in the open air. Many residents have spent extended periods in isolation and the outdoor Community Café is one way we can tackle that. We look forward to seeing as many people as possible – weather permitting, of course!”

Woughton Community Council, winners of the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) Star Council of the Year award, is no stranger to innovation.

The WCC team, which covers seven estates to the south of Central Milton Keynes, was an early adopter of the Community Fridge model in Milton Keynes, working with supermarkets and retailers to reduce food waste.

In the past month alone, the Community Fridge has helped to redistribute a total of 2.25 tonnes food to residents, half of which was fresh fruit and vegetables.

The community council also offers a advice and wellbeing service to all those who live, work and play in Woughton alongside a range of other services and support.

Both the café and the Community Fridge have been provided in line with current guidelines, with social distancing, hand sanitiser and a different approach, meaning everyone attending can stay safe to help control the virus. Face coverings are also available for those who need them.