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The
BBC's Voices project worked alongside the Friendship Café to take
its refurbishment plans forward. Work started in October 2003.
Here
the café organisers tell their story.
HISTORY
Although
the community of Barton and Tredworth had been consulted many times
and voiced their need for a local community centre nothing happened
and so it was only through the opportunism of GymNation and the
goodwill of the GPs at Bartongate Surgery that the Friendship Café
came to be in October 2001.
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| The
Friendship Cafe brings different nationalities together |
The
idea behind the Friendship Café is to provide a meeting place and
starting point for the numerous fledgling groups in the area.
Gloucestershire
Action for Asylum Seekers and Refugees (GARAS) is a key partner
in this plan and also been very helpful and supportive towards the
running of the café.
GARAS
is an independent charity, the sole agency providing an all round
support and advocacy and social service specifically for asylum
seekers and refugees.
Because
of the lack of any significant funding from the statutory bodies,
the Friendship Café operates almost entirely through volunteers.
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| GARAS
provides support and advice for refugees and asylum seekers |
Occasionally
grants are made available and GymNation will apply on behalf of
the other groups and the money invested into improvements.
GymNation
has now been acting as an umbrella group leading on the project
and in 2002 enlisted the help of two HND students from GlosCAT to
design the planned interior of the building to facilitate a community
café, a social meeting place and a private meeting area.
The
idea is to create a virtual 21st century community meeting place
accessible to all ages and groups in the Barton/Tredworth area.
Currently
the BartonGate Surgery has plans to develop the centre so it is
up to the users and interested groups to make the changes, both
in physical and support to allow the groups and users to enjoy the
space themselves.
THE
FUTURE
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| The
gloomy interior of the Friendship Cafe is being transformed |
Now
work has begun on giving the gloomy 1970s building that houses the
Friendship Cafe a more friendly look.
It
is getting an updated frontage, new windows to provide natural light,
a revamped kitchen and cafe and being refurbished and redecorated
throughout.
Currently
more than 200 people use the venue each week, ranging from more
than 40 different nationalities, and the groups are as diverse as
women raising fund for victims of the Iraq crisis to young men playing
pool and PlayStation to pass the time.
If
you would like to help the Friendship Cafe project call the BBC
Radio Gloucestershire Action Desk on 01452 331133 or email simon.williams.01@bbc.co.uk
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