Work Wise students at Bury College launched their Smart Café this month selling Fairtrade produce to fellow students and staff. Usma Afzal (19), Gavin Bailey (18), Cassie O’Neill (18), Luke Stefaniuk (21), Ryan Stanley (20), and Andrew Kay, (20), are currently completing a 1 year Foundation Studies course, and the café is helping them to develop their employability skills, with a view to gaining supported employment in the future.

The kitchen and new facilities were built earlier this year as part of Bury College’s continuing refurbishment of its Woodbury Centre. The kitchen is for the sole use of the college’s Foundation Studies students which includes courses for students with learning difficulties and disabilities.

The café has been made wheelchair friendly, with wheelchair access and tables. On the menu was homemade soup including tomato and basil, carrot and coriander, and Dahl and vegetable. There was also Fairtrade chocolate, cookies, scones; tea, coffee and juice. As part of the launch, students have been learning all about Fairtrade produce, buying in their stock and preparing all the food ready for the launch. Students even designed the red and white colour scheme for the kitchen including table settings.

Cassie from Bolton said, “I’ve really enjoyed running the café and making the scones ready to sell. The café will be running again in the New Year and we will be trying jacket potatoes and sandwiches. We’ll also be selling our Fairtrade produce, especially coffee as it was on of the most popular things.”

Money made from running the Smart Café will pay for further produce and the profits will be used for a residential trip to Liverpool next year.  This residential allows students to spend time away from their parents, staying overnight in the Liverpool Youth Hostel. During their stay students also visit Liverpool One, Albert Dock, eat out and have a trip to the cinema.

Lecturer, Debbie Willis, the founder of the Smart Café scheme says, “It allows our student to develop transferable skills and hopefully help them to gain supported work when they leave, One of our previous students went on to do work experience at the BHS café in Bury and feedback from the catering manager there was that the student was the best work experience girl they had ever had.”

Janet Walker, an education support worker at Bury College said, “I just had a scone and tea which was absolutely delicious. The service was good and I will be back again for the next one”.

For more information about Bury College’s Foundation Studies Courses please call 0161 280 8280.