Friday 18 March 2011

The Great British Tea Party

This morning we were visited at the cafe by Alison and Steve from The Great British Tea Party. It is a rainy day here in Davon but they kindly brought us some rose cupcakes which was instant sunshine in a paper case. 

Do visit Alison and Steve's website. They are fabulous and do fabulous things. Proper teaparties with beautiful teacups and saucers, cupcakes and cake stands. It can't help but make you smile. I'm smiling as I have a mug of earl grey and two and a half cupcakes left to gobble up.



Saturday 12 March 2011

Heather Fairburn's Menopause Support Evening

Heather ran a support evening at the cafe on Wednesday. We have had really positive feedback and want to say a huge thank you to Heather for her time. Heather has a community interest company (like us) called Menopause Support and her website is a treasure trove of information on the menopause and how to help you help yourself. If you missed our course, Healther is running a day course in Exeter on April 2nd (see her website for details).
 

Friday 11 March 2011

Brian's on a Mission

This is the lovely Brian. Brian is one of our greatest supporters and vice versa. Brian get's stuck in at Cafe Sustain. He is completing challenges with Ruth, he is a member of one of the groups that meets regularly at the cafe, he is a regular smoothie drinker and now he is raising awareness of the cafe's uncertain furture. Thank you Brian for taking on another challenge in your busy life. 
Our lovely Brian
Brian's poster that sits on his granddaughter's buggy when he is out and about

World Book Night - We celebrated in the daytime...how civilised :)

Jan Billington from Maddocks Farm Organics was a World Book Night representitive. She very kindly gave us a pile of Nigel Slater's autobiography 'Toast'. Our Jan and I decided the Knit and Natter group would be keen to get reading so on Wednesday Our Jan handed them out. The books caused exactly the kind of buzz and delight I imagine Jamie Byng (who had the brilliant idea back in 2009) hoped they would. 
 

Monday 7 March 2011

Don't you wish you looked this glam when you were baking?!!!

Nicole making iced lemon cakes
The result :)

One of the StartHeroes Came to Visit!

Today Jane from StartHere came to visit us today from London to get a feel for the cafe and the role of the health facilitator. StartHere have lent us the orange information kiosk and I am about to start asking for feedback, which is enough to send people fleeing to the hills. 

It is always nice to show people around. I think it gives you a glimpse of our centre though a strangers eyes and it is an amazing place. When you come in nearly every day it becomes normal but we need to remember is that we're not normal (don't quote me on that!). If we were the norm, the UK would be a happier and healthier place (in my opinion). 
Simon, Jane and Ruth
So that is our mission (and yours too should you choose to accept it) to make Cafe Sustain and the Health Facilitator model so normal and everyday that people come to expect it as part of their health care and health centre, wherever they are.

Sunday 6 March 2011

Menopause Support Evening - This week!


Eat to beat the menopause!

Moody and forgetful?
Putting on weight?
Exhausted and emotional?
Hot and embarrassed?

Then come to this free, fun, informative taster workshop with Heather Fairbairn

Wednesday 9th March at 6pm

Café Sustain
Culm Valley Integrated Centre for Health
Willand Road, Cullompton EX15 1FE

What are the menopause ‘superfoods’
If you like their taste and where to buy them
How to cook tasty recipes the whole family enjoy
Which foods and drinks to avoid


Heather is an Oxford science graduate and has an MA in Complementary Health Studies from Exeter University.  She is the founder of Menopause Support CIC, a not-for-profit social enterprise. Her own menopause experience and passion for integrated healthy living gave her the inspiration to write the Menopause Support Programme to help other women. She will explain how through her own personal observations and scientific research she has discovered the best foods and drinks to help that might help. 


To book your free place ask for a ticket at Café Sustain (01884 831300 and ask for the café) or email Ruth Tucker ruth.tucker2@nhs.net

Thursday 3 March 2011

London Calling

I am on the train home from London after a busy day. This afternoon Simon and I went to the offices of StartHere which is where our kiosk came from. It is always good to be able to visit a group, then whenever you email or speak in the phone you can imagine them 'at home'. It is an amazing place where people work really hard to get information to people who need it (it's worth a Google). Anyway if anyone is in the cafe on Monday you can help me entertain Jane who will be visiting so she can see us 'at home'. 
We spent the time after meeting the StartHere-ers (typo just came up as StartHeroes -I like that!) playing hunt the notebook. The playing field stretched from Piccadilly to Turnham Green via Fortnum and Mason but we found it and made it to the train. They say you don't appreciate what you've got until it's gone and I am really appreciating my two years worth of notes after being separated for a few hours. 

Wednesday 2 March 2011

Magical Day

Yesterday was a lovely day at the cafe. We had a real buzz, until I got a little over-passionate about something and talked too much. Thank goodness, thought Steve, for pick-up time at school so I couldn't earbash him any more. Rescued by the 3:05pm bell.

We have created an amazing place - not just the cafe staff but the wider community. A member of the PCT came and told us that the talk of the upstairs offices was how much they love us (or their tummies love us? They like to eat!). We appreciate comments like that. It makes us feel valued and that's important. We were complimented on our food and our company (until the ear-bashing bit). Nicole handed out make-up tips to Liz and myself. We gave out photographs to a special customer of her wedding day, finding homes for precious things. It's another day where the extended cafe family made going to work a pleasure. Oh and the Youtube video of fainting goats...that was a good moment too. Did I get all my work done? No, but I had a magical day!

Tuesday 1 March 2011

Health Question Time 3 - STRESS & ANXIETY

What an excellent night. And recorded too (if i pressed the right button) so if you missed out, let Ruth know and she can let you see the DVD. 

Ruth and I have gone through your feedback forms and the response was really positive. What went down really well (other than Donna and my tea-making) were Sarah Hewlett's quick relaxation tips (for use even in the car - bring on the M5, nothing can get to me now); the 'gems' from the audience (the lady in front of me's idea of a positive journal where you write one positive thing about the day - and if you don't have one then it encourages you to have a positive moment before bed - ideas please!); Dr Matthew's and Dr Rowbury showed us a way of mapping activities in order to help us discover what in our lives make us anxious; Helen Farrell's wonderful quote from an opera singer she once knew who said that butterflies are good provided you get them flying in formation - brilliant! In fact, as I am typing, more and more of the evening is flooding back. It is probably best if you see the DVD and don't miss the next one!!!

Yummy!

Nicole makes fabulous coconut macaroons...
 
...and today Jan made me the most fabulous tuna melt, like no other. In fact, on facebook today the theme seems to be a toastie one!