Teresa Pickup, right, takes a well-earned break with staff member Chelo in the café
The café where “people grow wings”
In a ‘grey monstrosity’ of a former tax office, The Gateway Centre and its community outreach project, Café Avodah, have become a community hub and safe haven in Launceston, says manager Teresa Pickup.
Pay a visit to Café Avodah and you might see a ‘knit and natter’ group at work, a men’s group playing pool, the Launceston Money Advice Centre giving debt advice or customers enjoying board games and fresh soup.
Such is the interactive offer available at the unique Cornish community hub at the Gateway Centre in Launceston, which is run by Gateway Church and a small army of volunteers.
The Gateway Centre was once a tax office
In 2013, the church took a lease on the Gateway Centre in the hope of developing a much-needed community centre for the people of Launceston.
Part of the project was to create a community café where people could socialise in a safe space. Café Avodah came into being as the community came out of lockdown.
“When my family joined the church in 2012, we used to meet in the town hall, but it was labour-intensive and all about Sunday,” says Teresa Pickup who manages the café and whose husband Kevin is lead pastor of the church.
“My heart was to reach the community so I prayed and kept seeing a vision of a three-storey building with a flat roof. Hopes and dreams kept flashing through my mind, then when the old tax office became available I was like, ‘This is it – that’s the building in my dream!’”
Gateway Church moved into the huge building in 2013 and the café was set up on the ground floor, with Teresa serving hot drinks, cakes and soup.
A three-year mission stint took the couple to France, then Teresa was back and bursting with ideas for expansion.
“I kept looking at the room thinking, ‘this needs to be filled’. I could imagine a community space but I’d never seen anything like it before, so how were we going to do it?”
The couple began advertising the café on Facebook and in the community. From there, a unique mix has developed.
The community table is used
by many local groups
A ‘free to use’ community table was introduced, which allows local groups who cannot afford to hire space to use the table to meet.
The café’s menu widened to include freshly made meals and soups, along with cakes and hot drinks.
“We’re a soup hub where people can either eat for free or pay what they can afford,” says Teresa.
“We sell large home-cooked meals, great wholesome breakfasts and people often come in to try our homemade cheese scones. We don’t charge much because I believe God is more worried about people’s wellbeing than what’s in our tills.”
The beauty and individuality of the café, however, comes from the fact it is also an interactive community space.
“People very rarely just come for coffee. They mingle, pull a jigsaw puzzle or game of chess off the shelf or join a group at the community table.”
WARM
The café has become a warm hub and something of a day centre too.
“Many support workers come with their clients. One lady who usually brings two or three people had 15 people eating together the other day. It was lovely!”
With a range of independent and government agencies dropping in to provide their services, people in need of help are regularly signposted to the café too.
The Launceston Money Advice Centre, for example, offers free debt advice and money management, while addiction charity We Are With You offers support and advice.
The café also takes part in a voucher scheme for homeless people, offering meals and use of its washing machine and tumble dryer.
But despite the fact Café Avodah is growing its presence in the town, Teresa says it is facing a new challenge.
“With 15 months left on the lease, there is some uncertainty as to what we will be doing next. But we say, look what we do for the community.
The Gateway Centre provides activities,
including ‘knit and natter’ times
“The town council is behind us and I once heard the mayor say, ‘If you’ve got a problem go to the Gateway Centre – if they don’t know how to help no one will.’ We’re leaning on God like never before to help us.” Despite the uncertainty, Teresa remains passionate about the café.
“I love seeing lives transformed,” she says. “People grow wings as they come out of the depression, joblessness, poverty or isolation they were facing. To see them becoming healthy and happy brings me so much joy.”
Changing lives at Café Avodah
One of Teresa’s favourite things about the café is seeing the lives of staff and customers change. She told us about three highlights.
RAVEN
“ The Job Centre was running a scheme called Kickstart to encourage under-25s into work with training and a full-time wage. We offered a placement to a lovely girl called Raven.
“She came to us at 19 and had no confidence – she literally shook. Now she’s an amazing cook and part of the family. She’s quiet, but that’s ok because she’s got it. With her, it was just about pulling the gold out. She loves the way it’s so interactive. And while she doesn’t have faith herself, she knows who we are and is OK with that. She also makes the best coffees.”
CLIVE
“When Clive first came he’d shuffle in, sit down with a cup of tea and not speak to anyone. In fact, he first came to speak to an agency about finding a job.
“A year later he’s amazing. He’s joined our community gardening club which grows fresh produce for our soups. He’s a Christian, he’s doing the Life Course and he’s talking to people about Jesus. He’s also got a new job. It turned out to be a conversation in the right place at the right time. The turnaround in his life has been quite incredible.”
EMMA
“Emma is one of my volunteers who works here as part of a government placement.
“She has multiple learning difficulties, is partially deaf and has problems with her trachea which makes her voice deep and croaky. She’s had a tricky home life and now lives in full-time residential care.
“She comes to us every Wednesday for about four hours and helps wash up, cook – whatever she feels happy with. She’s joined a couple of clubs too so she’s here about three days a week. She’s really come out of herself. Her confidence has soared and she’ll talk to anyone now.
“People can see how we’ve blended community and staff, and know this is a safe place.”
This article first appeared in the April 2023 edition of Direction Magazine. For further details, please click here.
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