By Denis Sheehan MIH, Publisher: An introduction to the Birch Tree Café team.
The Birch Tree Café is a place where young people who have Down’s Syndrome can work, socialise, and be accepted as part of a vibrant village community. We offer great quality food and drink in spacious, attractive surroundings.
The café helps our enthusiastic young team members develop workplace skills and confidence, improving their employment prospects and independence, so they can realise their ambitions.
The Birch Tree Café is owned and operated by T-21, a registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation, (CIO, Registered no 1180389).
T-21 was born out of the Peterborough Area Down’s Syndrome Group, (PADSG) a parent led charity supporting people with Down’s Syndrome and their families in the Greater Peterborough area. T-21 has its own board of Trustees.
Birch Tree Café in Easton on the Hill is celebrating a very successful first year thanks to all its supporters and customers.
Chair of Trustees Maggie Scott said: “We launched just a year ago and not only has the café been a great commercial success, with sales double what we expected, but more importantly we have now got 28 young people with Down’s Syndrome on our team who benefit greatly from the social contact, activities, and training that is provided at the café. None of this would be possible without the financial support and volunteer effort from local business partners and tradespeople.
“We have also been overwhelmed by the enthusiastic support from the village of Easton and indeed from customers from all over the area who seem to enjoy our ‘café with a purpose’. We’ve had to employ more staff and expand our seating area to keep up with demand, and it seems as though we are providing a much-needed social venue for lots and lots of people from the local area and beyond.”
The problems for many of our members is that now they have completed their formal education there is a major lack of opportunities for them. Only 6% of adults with learning disabilities known to their local authority are in paid work (NHS Digital 2018).
Loneliness in people with learning disabilities is linked to several health risks, such as depression, high blood pressure and higher mortality risk.
Four years ago, a group of parents and trustees from the local Peterborough Area Down’s Syndrome Group came up with a fantastic idea to launch a café. This group set up T-21 with the aim of opening a café that would provide a safe working environment with training for our members with Down’s syndrome that will help them along the route to employment and independence, while also serving as a café for the local community and visitors.
We are driven by the need to empower our young people to improve their lives.
It took three years to find the amazing site which is part of the former Easton Garford School in Easton on the Hill, a rural village in Northamptonshire with a population of 1,100.
Funding to convert and equip the building and launch our wonderful café has come from many grants and donations, and from many local businesses and tradespeople who have given their services and materials for free or at reduced rates.
Our Vision
To provide employment, develop life skills and build independence for young adults with Down’s Syndrome in a welcoming and supportive community environment.
Our Mission
Creating a place where young adults with Down’s Syndrome can work, socialise and be accepted as part of a vibrant village community.
Our Charitable Objectives
The objectives of the CIO are to provide services, facilities and learning opportunities through the provision of stimulating activities, social interaction and work experience to assist people with Down’s Syndrome in the Peterborough area to enable them to develop valuable skills for life and to use at work and increase their confidence and independence enabling them to have fulfilling, inclusive and proactive lives.
