The Co-operative Food - Andover, Picket Twenty Way

Using surplus food to support the people in our homes and care.

For a number of years, our Community Café has been supporting adults with learning disabilities over the age of 18 years to build a range of employable skills in hospitality and catering. Duke’s Café is a social space where you can come along and eat, chat and relax. Our award winning volunteers love interacting with and serving the community. Come and join us for lunch and a natter. Duke’s Café provides our members with essential employment experience within a catering environment. We provide a sterling service and our friendly team are made up of Andover and District Mencap members and award winning volunteers. We are here to help and love serving the local community with a smile. The café has been running for over 10 years and is designed to enhance our member’s skills set. Duke’s Café is open every Tuesday from 12pm-12pm. We serve homemade meals, from deep-filled sandwiches to hot jacket potatoes, all at quality prices.

Our Peace Garden In 2020 and now again 2021, the World is facing a devastating COVID-19 pandemic. It has resulted in many deaths and much illness. This tragedy has also caused much upset, stress and anxiety for many in our school community. However, much LOVE was shown through this difficult time and continues to be! This LOVE has come in many forms from food donations to "Hearts for Homes." We have and are facing this horrid virus together as one community and we are determined to help everyone mentally and physically survive! In order to mark this time in history, to remember the LOVE shown during this pandemic and create something to help us heal, we wanted to create something significant and permanent on the school site. So we decided to create a "PEACE GARDEN!" Why are we creating the Peace Garden To create a spiritual and peaceful space in the school for staff and children to reflect, pray, be still and refresh their mental state. How will it be used? •Children will use the garden when accessing the library and read together or on their own peacefully and also enjoying the fresh air and nature. •Children will use the garden to calm down if helpful to regulate their behaviour. •Children will use the garden to develop and address any gaps in their emotional development. •Children will engage in Worships in the garden to aide prayer, reflection and appreciation of God’s creation. •Staff will use the garden at their break times to enjoy the fresh air, nature, relax and / or pray. What we are hoping to achieve? •Staff and children feel calmer. •Staff and children have a space that is always peaceful when they need it. •The school has a space that celebrates the positive aspects of COVID-19. •The garden engages the senses. •The garden brings people together in a positive way and marks this significant time in History. We