Buxton community cafe celebrates top hygiene rating

The Zink Community Cafe, based in the Zink building on the Old Cattle Market car park, only opened for business in January and has been given the highest rating of five following its first inspection.

The project, which is run by volunteers, helps unemployed people or those lacking experience to gain hands-on knowledge and qualifications while working at the new community cafe.

Deputy CEO and senior work and skills coach Jane Kirk-Bagshaw heads up the cafe.

She said: “We are over the moon and really chuffed with the inspection grading. It’s the validation that shows we are not just doing what we need to but going above and beyond as well.”

All those working in the cafe have been trained up and have achieved their level two food hygiene certificates.

Jane added: “We have people who may not have worked for a while, those on work experience or kick starter programmes or just volunteers lending a hand.

“By giving people a higher qualification it means when they do leave us they have the best possible spring board to jump from and start their working adventure.”

The cafe is aiming to become a go-to venue in the community and has long term plans for letting the space out for weddings and christenings as well as providing the catering for such events.

Jane said: “We are also trying to be sustainable and do our bit to help the planet.

“Our food comes from Food Share and Morrisons who donate things which would otherwise be thrown away.”

The cafe is open for breakfasts and light lunches and on Fridays it sells a two-course meal for just £2.50.

Jane added: “We want to be a place where the kids can come from school and get a good value and nutritious hot meal and do their homework and play some board games or where people come to job search and not have to worry about heating bills for a bit.”

Zink is also the home of the High Peak Foodbank and anyone who gets an emergency food parcel will also be given a voucher for a free meal in the cafe.

See https://zink.org.uk/ to find out more.

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