Tim Healy officially opened a new community cafe in Cowgate, near his childhood home of Benwell, as part of his patronage of the charity Children North East.
Children North East, who are the oldest charity in the region as they were established in 1891, have opened Café Hope to offer a place for the community to meet up, have something to eat and drink, and access any support that they may need.
The charity raises funds for the much-needed work they do with children and young people in the region, and they celebrated the opening of the café with a special event attended by their famous patron.
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Guests at the event were able to sample the cafe's menu, and take part in activities that showcased the projects that the charity have started. These included planting sunflowers, playing the video game Minecraft (being used as a counselling tool), and an exhibition of art inspired by children's experiences during the pandemic.
Tim Healy spoke after the event, expressing his pride at having been a patron of the charity for so many years.
"I'm so proud to be a patron of this wonderful charity, that care in the community for everyone, from babies to grandmas and grandads", he said.
One of the main goals of Cafe Hope is to offer affordable, nourishing meals for adults and kids, alongside the typical breakfast and lunch favourites. The cafe was made possible by a generous donation from Helen McArdle and her family, how are long-time supporters of the charity.
The charity are also supported by businesses such as JR Holland Food Services, Warburtons and Tyneside Food, enabling Cafe Hope to offer things like free fruit and discretionary food parcels to people that need them.
Leigh Elliott, the Chief Executive of Children North East has also spoken, talking about the charities ambitions when opening Cafe Hope.
"By launching Cafe Hope, our ambition is to create a thriving space which supports family relationships, provides access to healthy food, including hot meals. and foster connections across the community.
"Our launch event captured that spirit and it was heart-warming to see how passionate out community is to ensure every baby, child and young person has the healthy, happy start in life that they much deserve."
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