Tea and fellowship - the Cathedral café providing a welcoming space for older people

The cathedral has partnered with the charity to reach older people who may be feeling isolated or in need of support and advice.

 

The café in Wakefield Cathedral’s Treacy Hall has reopened as a not-for-profit café, operated by Age UK Wakefield, serving not only tea, coffee, lunch and cakes, but also offering advice, support, and a listening ear to customers.

 

Hundreds of people now attend the café every week. It is run by two Age UK staff members and volunteers, and is open from Tuesday to Saturday. Jess Riley, Acting Development Officer at the Cathedral, said a commercial café in the courtyard had closed during the Covid pandemic.

 

“There are lots of cafés in Wakefield, and we wanted to create something a little different when the space reopened – somewhere people could find support and fellowship as well as refreshments. We’re very aware that some older people in our community may feel isolated, and it’s been really encouraging to see the café becoming a welcoming and supportive space for them,” she said.

 

The Dean of Wakefield, the Very Revd Philip Hobday, said: “Treacy Hall is a much-loved meeting place at the centre of our city and a key part of our purpose to be a centre of Christian hospitality for all. We are thrilled that, working with Age UK Wakefield District, we can now open it even more regularly as a place for good coffee and good conversations for people from across our district.”