Irwell Valley Spreads A Ray Of Sunshine

Irwell Valley Housing Association and the Greater Manchester Community Foundation have provided funding to cover the 10 year lease for a community café in Broomwood, Timperley.

The café, run by Trafford based charity G Force, serves up a wide range of healthy food and is based on Irwell Valley’s award winning Sunshine Café on the Sale West Estates, which was officially opened in 2004 by TV Chef Simon Rimmer and has also featured on BBC Radio and TV.

The Sunshine Café received the Food Standards Agency Dame Sheila McKechnie Award in 2006 and has become a focal point on the Estates for affordable, healthy meals as well as a meeting place for residents who attend day and evening classes.

Funding from Irwell Valley and the Community Foundation for Greater Manchester amounts to £30,000 over 10 years for the Broomwood based cafe.

Mali Pocsai, Irwell Valley’s Neighbourhood Manager on the Sale Estates says:

“Through the Irwell Valley and Greater Manchester Community Foundation Fund, we have been able to secure a 10 year rent for G-Force to carry out youth and community work in Broomwood. We are keen to work with other partners to role out similar projects and it’s a fantastic illustration of public and private sector working together to improve and empower communities.”

The former shop was refitted after staff at John Lewis stores in the Trafford Centre and Cheadle raised over £4,000.

The Oglesby Trust, which supports charitable activities, donated £10,000 and Trafford Youth Service also donated £10,000. The Learning and Skills Council paid for IT equipment.

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