As The Chatty Café Scheme, a community initiative born in Oldham, celebrates its 10th anniversary, it has teamed up with Mitchells & Butlers, one of the UK’s largest restaurant and pub companies, who own Toby Carvery, to expand the service that is designed to combat loneliness.
With 900 locations nationwide which have so far helped over 30,000 people, one of the newest venues to be set up is at the Toby Carvery in Oldham.
The popular family restaurant on Burnley Lane in Chadderton is calling for local people to become volunteer hosts as it prepares to launch new Chatty Café Scheme sessions aimed at tackling loneliness in the community.
Volunteer hosts for the Chatter & Natter table just need a couple of hours to spare once a week, and are happy to welcome guests, talk to strangers and keep the conversation flowing.
Martin Nelson, Divisional Director (Restaurants Division) at Mitchells & Butlers, said: “Hospitality is, at its heart, about making people feel welcome, and our pubs have traditionally been at the heart of the community.
“By partnering with The Chatty Cafe Scheme, we’re using our scale and our spaces to help address loneliness, one of the biggest social challenges facing communities today.
“Whether it’s over a coffee in the morning or a cuppa in the afternoon, we want our pubs and restaurants to be welcoming spaces where people feel comfortable coming in on their own and leaving feeling part of something. We look forward to welcoming local people to our Toby Carvery restaurants in Chadderton.
“We’re looking for warm, approachable volunteers who enjoy talking to people and helping others feel included. Having that human connection can really brighten someone’s day.”
Alex Hoskyn from Uppermill, founder of The Chatty Café Scheme, a non-profit enterprise launched in Oldham in 2017, said: “The simple act of sharing a table and conversation can help people go from feeling “invisible to visible”.
The new Chadderton sessions will welcome anyone looking for a friendly chat, with no age barrier, pressure to attend or membership required. We look forward to this weekly session getting started soon.”
To become a volunteer host or find your nearest Chatter & Natter table visit: www.thechattycafescheme.co.uk
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