A chef who felt “rejected by society” after developing an alcohol problem has told how she set up a community cafe to help people going through similar experiences.
Anna Kennedy set up Anna’s Community Cafe in Oldham, Greater Manchester, to offer training to people recovering from addiction, people with learning disabilities and young offenders.
Twenty years ago Ms Kennedy said she turned to alcohol after moving to the UK and found herself struggling under work pressures with no support or family nearby.
“I used to drink seven or eight litres of whisky a week. I just couldn’t manage,” she said.
“I was a person very similar to the people at the cafe, a person society had rejected.
“It was the worst nightmare of my life.”
The cafe, at St Herbert’s Court retirement living scheme, in Chadderton, is run by volunteers recovering from their own troubles.
Ms Kennedy, who is now fully recovered, started the cafe in 2022 to offer people training in the practical kitchen skills needed for full time work.
“It is an opportunity for them to shine,” she said.
“By the time they finished training with me they will be fully qualified, they can go to any takeaway and restaurant and say ‘this is me’.”
Among the cafe’s volunteers is Tyler, an autistic 21-year-old who has epilepsy.
He said he felt “very excited and happy” whenever he worked at the cafe.
Volunteer Fran, 40, who was introduced to the project by a drug and alcohol recovery service, said the cafe had helped after she had had been in “a dark place”
“This place is like a second family really,” she said.
Mayor of Oldham Zahid Chauhan, who is also a GP, said the cafe was helping to combat loneliness.
“Social care is really struggling and you don’t have funding for day centres. Well this is a beautiful day centre,” he said.
“I asked one woman why has she spent £21 to travel here. She replied, ‘this is the best treatment for my loneliness’.”
