Community Barista Van is a hit with residents

Thursday, 10 February 2022 11:55

Throughout the pandemic, a community coffee van has been quietly providing a hot cuppa and community support to local residents in an effort to combat loneliness and help mental wellbeing.

A mobile community coffee van has been reaching out to care homes and their residents in Rutland throughout the pandemic and featured on BBC’s Escape to the Country on Monday. The Rural Community Council (RCC) has just finished a series of weekly visits to Belton House Retirement Home in Belton, Rutland.

Emma Andrew from the RCC in Leicestershire and Rutland says that it has been well received:

“We’ve been going out to various care home settings” says Emma “We’ve had some hardy residents that have been happy to come out in the cold weather, so well done to them! It’s the first time we’ve actually run the coffee van over the winter period but the feedback we’ve had from all sorts of residents is that actually that was the period when they needed it the most.”

The Rural Coffee Connect barista coffee van has been travelling throughout Leicestershire and Rutland, offering a safe, welcome, and informal café for people to enjoy a free cup of coffee or tea and chat and build connections in their community. More information about the coffee van’s itinerary and activities can be found here: Rural Coffee Connect - RCC (ruralcc.org.uk)