Irwell Valley's Sunshine Cafe Is As Good As Gold

Irwell Valley’s Sunshine Café has picked up a Gold Award for its food standards and providing a wide range of healthy menu options.

The Award was presented by Trafford Borough Council’s Healthy Choices initiative, and is given to caterers who are committed to offering healthy food choices to their customers.

The Sunshine Café, which is staffed by local members of the community and volunteers, opened as a food co-operative and venue for residents on the Sale West Estate in Trafford as part of Irwell Valley’s Healthy Living Initiative.

Customers can sit down to healthy, affordable breakfasts, lunches, snacks and drinks which are freshly prepared each day on the premises from locally sourced ingredients -and it’s the first port of call for many local businesses which places orders for the healthy buffets or drop in to use the Café as a meeting place.

Mali Pocsai, Irwell Valley’s Neighbourhood Manager for the area is delighted with the Gold Award.

“In 2010, we received a Silver Award, so to receive Gold a year on is a fantastic endorsement of everyone’s hard work and a seal of approval for our customers who see the Sunshine Café as a destination for a great choice of delicious, healthy and affordable dishes.”

Trafford Borough Council said:

“The Sunshine Café thoroughly deserves their Gold Award. They are the first community based project to receive such a high standard. A big well done to everyone.”

The Café also provides nutrition advice and promotes activities to address lifestyle related illnesses and is a hub for local community groups - from a Baby Café for new mothers to the cheerfully known SAS – ‘Senior Adventurers of Sale’ group.

Over 100 volunteer placements have been offered to local residents at the Sunshine Cafe where some have either subsequently gained employment or gone on to find work elsewhere as a direct result of the skills acquired at this small community enterprise.

In 2006, the Café received the Food Standards Agency Dame Sheila McKechnie Award for ‘empowering communities’ and ‘attacking poverty’

Customers and staff are pretty pleased with their Gold Award, as they were up against much larger food businesses for the accolade – including a major retail sandwich chain.

Proof that small is beautiful – and successful.