A new café has opened in Clapton offering a chance for people with autism to learn life-changing skills from growing vegetables and preparing food to hospitality.
The Pavilion Café at The Garden School in Ickburgh Road is a training café for young people aged 16+ with learning difficulties.
Pat Quigley MBE, former Head of The Garden School, was a driving force for the project. She said: “The aim is to help prepare these young people for adulthood. A large part of that is to think about careers and to provide work-related learning. We want to bring the community in and make it easier for students to go out and access community resources in Hackney.
“It’s a chance to develop confidence, independence, the ability to work with others and take instructions, to do something for a real purpose that is meaningful, fulfilling and an integral part of the community.
“We have so many different roles – preparing food, making products to sell, tidying up and putting things in cupboards, landscaping, growing food and more – they’re all good skills.”
The café, which occupies part of a 1960s building (part of the old Ickburgh school) has a stunning garden with a large shady tree and picnic benches as well as spaces where the students grow herbs and vegetables. Pat describes the building as: “peaceful and calm, a bit of an oasis.”
She added: “We opened on July 3rd and the young people are really enjoying themselves. It helps them with being adaptable because you can’t predict who is going to come through the door. It’s all very grown-up. They’re interviewed for the roles they apply for and the environment they’re in is very supportive.”
Funding for the café came from a £2 million Government grant passed on by Hackney Council. It also incorporated the refurbishment of two single-storey mid-century buildings which had suffered decades of what a council spokesperson describes as: “architectural vandalism” and had fallen into disrepair.
The refurbishment which was completed last summer created 50 new school places for young people aged 16-18 who have autism and learning difficulties and there’s a real focus on vocational learning there.
The Pavilion Café is open during term time (get in there quick; Wednesday 19th is the last day till September). The menu includes homemade cakes, tea, coffee and cold drinks as well as jacket potatoes, soup and paninis.
There’s also a room on the site, which can be hired by local organisations for events for up to 30 people. It’ll be run by students at the school; helping them to build hospitality skills.
Click here to visit the website and learn more.
