01772 675 750
info@warden.co.uk
Warden has completed work on a new permanent home for a popular Manchester café venture that helps people with anxiety get into employment.
We worked with Manchester City Council to provide a new eco-style modular café building which has allowed community interest company Grounded MCR to have a larger, permanent base in Cringle Park, Levenshulme.
The new home includes accessible toilet facilities for park visitors and complements several other recent investments made by the council in Cringle Park, including upgraded competition standard tennis courts, outdoor gym equipment, improvements to the play area and a new zip wire. The new facilities were officially opened by Lord Mayor, Councillor Paul Andrews.
Grounded MCR CIC was set up in 2021 by local couple Natalie and Kerry and previously operated as a mobile coffee stand, moving its distinctive yellow trike between Cringle Park and Platt’s Fields and appearing at local markets, festivals and events.
It has helped many vulnerable young people and adults to learn barista and hospitality skills, helping them to gain confidence and boost their employability skills. It welcomes people dealing with anxiety, depression, ADHD, autism, or other challenges that might make them feel vulnerable.
Ian Williams, managing director, said: “This is a great project to be involved in and one that will provide many benefits for local people. Grounded MCR is more than just the delicious coffee and cake, it’s providing a valuable community service and supporting people towards better mental wellbeing.
“We’re proud to have worked with Manchester City Council to provide Grounded MCR with a vibrant social space that will allow them to do so much more to help people.”
Natalie Lobel from Grounded MCR, said: “Grounded Manchester CIC is so happy to have been given the chance to open a community cafe in Cringle Park. Thank you to MCC – between us we can support local disadvantaged people into work whilst improving the mental health of our staff and customers. We can’t wait to get cracking.”
Councillor Lee-Ann Igbon Executive Member for Vibrant Neighbourhoods said: “We’ve created a strong partnership with the community in Cringle Park and the result is this fantastic new cafe and toilet facility where people can relax, enjoy quality food and drinks and feel part of the wider community.
“We are investing in our parks with our communities as they are places where people can enjoy nature, play sport and feel pride in their park – they are not just green spaces, they bring people together and are beneficial for both our physical and mental health.
“Our commitment is demonstrated in the 50% uplift we’ve seen in Park visitors from pre pandemic level. 9.2 million park visitors across the city in the past 12 months”
Our work on the £200,000 project involved the preparation works for the new facility, including new drainage and foundations and installing the new modular building and accessible toilet facilities.
In addition to the cafe, extensive planting and landscaping improvements have been made, including a new ‘green roof’ to ensure the cafe is sympathetic to the park surroundings.
The cafe will be serving a range of affordable hot and cold food and beverages and in line with the council’s commitment to reducing food waste, Grounded MCR will be working with FareShare to save unused food from being wasted.
