'My cafe is a safe, friendly and positive environment for all'

Appropriately called The Welcome Café, Jeanette Hodgkinson realised a lifelong dream when she opened it at Holland’s Nurseries at Twyford last March.

Over the last nine months she has built a good reputation for her homely style of cooking and this, alongside the welcoming atmosphere her friendly team has created, has led to many regulars and new faces appearing from word of mouth.

Jeanette said: “By calling it The Welcome Café I wanted to create a safe, friendly and positive environment for all, a place to feel welcome, supported and included.

“I aimed to offer friendship and support to the elderly, those who have autism and people who suffer from mental health issues such as PTSD and loneliness.

“Since opening we have been able to achieve many of these goals and we have local Age UK groups from Melton and Syston who come on a monthly basis for lunch.”

Jeanette has also created a work space for a local man with learning difficulties, who comes to help for four hours every week.

She also has two students with learning disabilities from Brooksby Melton College who attend every Wednesday as part of their work experience alongside their support worker.

The aim of this is to help them build confidence and gain valuable skills with the end goal of getting them into a full time work placement.

"We have also entered the café into The Chatty Café Scheme, which designates a table at a certain times of the week to be manned by a person who is there to talk to people and offer support for those who need it.

“This will be up and running in the next month or so.”

Jeanette also has a farm shop there selling meats on the deli counter with oils, jams, preserves, chutneys and a ‘free from’ range.

There are also locally-sourced arts, crafts, jewellery, and toys for sale.

Jeanette plans to continue to run events and fundraisers to raise money for local charities such as Mencap.

The nursery reopens in the middle of next month.