Workbridge Coffee Shop named Cafe of the Year!

We are delighted to announce that our Workbridge coffee shop has won the Independent Café / Tea Room of the Year award at the prestigious Carlsberg Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards 2017/18.

A team from Workbridge were crowned winners at a gala ceremony last night (Wednesday 15 November), which was attended by more than 500 people at the Royal & Derngate in Northampton. Local eatery the Bread and Butter Factory, based on St Giles Street were close runners-up.

Louise Ellis-Lane, a Vocational Skills Instructor at Workbridge, and Darren Ross, a service user who works in the coffee shop, were on hand at the event to collect the award alongside Sarah Cotton and Tracy Farmery.

Sarah Cotton, Senior Service Manager at Workbridge, said: “We feel very honoured to receive this award which demonstrates the hard work and commitment shown by our staff, patients and service users in the Coffee Shop, especially as this was the first year we had entered.

“We’re all the more proud because Workbridge is different from other brilliant eateries in the county in that many of the people who prepare and serve the produce, and contribute to the warmth of the coffee shop, are patients from St Andrew’s Healthcare or community service users, which means they develop their work and life skills while building confidence and also make new friends in a supportive environment.”

The venue was selected as a finalist after receiving excellent Mystery Shopping reviews and, as a result, Louise and Darren represented the coffee shop at a ‘bake off’ event in the summer at which they baked and served a cheddar cheese scone and a white chocolate and raspberry cake for the judges. They took the title after being scored on everything from hygiene to organisational skills, service to presentation and of course the quality of food itself.

In addition to the delicious food, the judging panel also recognised that Workbridge is different to other brilliant eateries in Northampton. Many of the people who prepare and serve the produce, and contribute to the warmth of the coffee shop, are patients from St Andrew’s Healthcare or community service users, who develop their work and life skills while building confidence and making new friends in a supportive environment.

The Carlsberg UK Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards is a prestigious, annual competition aimed at celebrating all that is great about local food and drink, recognising excellence within the county’s dining and drinking venues and rewarding those who work hard within the culinary sector.

Workbridge is part of St Andrew’s Healthcare, the UK’s leading mental health charity - click here to read more about Workbridge.