The Alive Cafe – a testimonial

Across the corridor from the Lincoln Community Grocery is a space called the Alive Cafe. If you go in on a Wednesday morning, you will be greeted with a smile by our wonderful volunteer, Dee.

Dee isn’t from Lincoln, and struggled with loneliness and anxiety after moving here. Wherever she went, she’d keep her head down and try to avoid talking to people.

As money was tight, she and her husband were introduced to the Grocery, and began to come weekly, enjoying the friendly welcome and the opportunity to get good food at a great price for their large family.

They noticed that sometimes the cafe was open for tea and coffee, and one week, they plucked up the courage to pop in. The drinks and pastries were free, and Dee found it easy to talk to the ladies who helped out. She began to wonder if there was room for her to volunteer too, but lacked the confidence to offer.

The following week, Dee came to the Grocery on her own. She surprised herself with how ‘at home’ she felt in the Grocery, and how easily she could talk to people. It felt like she had found a place where she was free to be herself and still be fully accepted.

After her shop, she popped into the cafe, but there was no one else there. One of the Grocery volunteers made her a drink, and as she sat drinking, she sent a photo to her husband.

‘Are you on your own? You should offer to help out,’ he replied. ‘You know you would love it.’

Buoyed by his encouragement, Dee finished her tea and went through to the Grocery to sign up as a volunteer.

Now Dee is a vital part of the Alive Cafe team, offering a kind word to everyone who comes in. Her smile and banter are infectious. The Alive Cafe and Community Grocery have given Dee a safe place to flourish, and she is eager to welcome those who keep their heads down and avoid eye contact, as she used to do.

If you would like to know more about what is going on in Acts Trust then please click here: https://www.actstrust.org.uk/whats-on/