Launch of new 'Compassionate Cafe'

The Harpenden Trust and Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care are delighted to announce the launch of a new Compassionate Café, at the Harpenden Trust’s Well Bean Café, Harpenden Trust Halls (above the Co-op), 130a Southdown Road, Harpenden, AL5 1PU. 

The Compassionate Cafés will take place on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month, starting on Tuesday 7 November 2023, from 2.00pm to 3.30pm. 

The Compassionate Café, which will be open to people from the AL5 area, will provide a space for local people who have been affected by bereavement or any kind of loss to meet others by coming together for a cuppa and a chat. Each session will be run by volunteers who are on hand to welcome and speak to attendees. Each session will be informal in structure, guided by the needs of the people attending. 

Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care have been running a number of successful Compassionate Cafés in Watford, Three Rivers and Hertsmere areas since December 2021 and are delighted to be bringing the model to the Harpenden area. The hospice charity is working in partnership with Harpenden Trust and their volunteers have been trained up by the hospice to help provide a welcoming space. 

Sara, one of the volunteers at the Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care Compassionate Café, says: 

“The cafes are a friendly and safe environment for people to meet others and have a chat. They are a great way of making friends or being signposted to local events of interest. I find that the sessions give people an opportunity to talk about their loss or bereavement and how they are coping. People really benefit from the peer support of sharing with others who are going through something similar. Compassionate Cafés are open to everybody – you don’t need to be referred to them or book a space in advance - you can just come when you want, stay for as long as you need and go when you want.”

Sarah Holmes, Head of Wellbeing at Harpenden Trust, is excited about the launching the Compassionate Café and said:

“The Harpenden Trust is delighted to partner with Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care to open our Well Bean Café as a Compassionate Café twice per month. Anyone experiencing loss, bereavement or affected by life limiting illness themselves is welcome to chat over a cup of tea and cake. Our trained volunteers aren’t there to give official advice, but offer support, company and a friendly ear. The Trust works with Harpenden Health Primary Care Network and Mind in Mid Herts on a range of initiatives across Harpenden supporting the wellbeing of AL5 residents of all ages. Partnering with charities working in specific health sectors works well for the Harpenden Trust. It ensures our volunteers are equipped with the right skills and reassures anyone attending a partnership activity that it is a safe and understanding place for them to come”.

Alison May, Community Engagement Manager at Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care, says:

“It has been wonderful to see the impact our Compassionate Cafés have had on both volunteers and attendees in our existing locations, so we’re really looking forward to bringing this to Harpenden. The cafés are very informal in structure – they're not a support group or counselling session – but people who come along tell us that they get a huge amount out of the peer support, and the chance to meet other people who understand their loss. I’d encourage anybody in the area who has experienced any type of bereavement or loss to come along to the sessions and see what they can take away from them.”

Comp Cafe Oct 23 2

23 October 2023

In Other News

Harpenden Trust Community Fund contributes to High Beeches Primary School for Outdoor Canopy

08 January 2025
The Harpenden Trust Community Fund has been delighted to contribute towards the construction of an outside canopy for High Beeches Primary School that allows pupils to use both for learning and leisure purposes acting as protection against rainy weather and very hot sunshine. Sue Cumming a member of the Community Fund was very pleased to present our plaque to the school accompanied by Steve Pryor, Chair of the Community Fund, with a great turnout of pupils at the presentation.
More

Raffle at U3A party raised £92 for the Harpenden Trust Annual Appeal!

23 December 2024
A huge thank you to Jan Warr for running an amazing raffle at the u3a Christmas party last week! She raised a brilliant £92 for our Christmas Appeal - so a big well done and thank you to the whole u3a group for their generosity. Merry Christmas to you all!
More

The Lea Singers raised £650 for the Harpenden Trust!

23 December 2024
On Thursday evening, local chamber choir, The Lea Singers, hosted a Christmas concert at St John’s Church, Southdown. They presented a joyful evening of beautiful singing, mince pies and mulled wine, and popular carols for all to join in with. A perfect event to get everyone in the Christmas mood. Through the evening, our volunteers sold raffle tickets for three luxury food hampers kindly provided by the Lea Singers. The proceeds, amounting to a fantastic £650, were donated to our…
More

17th Harpenden Brownies - Reverse Advent Calendar Challenge

17 December 2024
We just want to say a huge well done to the 17th Harpenden Brownies! They meet at our Trust Halls and recently took part in a 'reverse advent calendar challenge' - collecting hygiene products for the Kings Pantry Foodbank. We set up drop off points for items in our buildings and a representative from the Foodbank visited the group to collect all of the donations and thank the girls for the excellent haul of goods. The girls also decorated bags…
More