Life Skills Café launches in Nelson to help build a more resilient Pendle community
A new Life Skills Café has been launched in Pendle bringing together local organisations, community partners and residents to strengthen support for people facing financial hardship and wider life challenges.
The launch event, welcomed representatives from across the Pendle Resilience Network, partner organisations and community groups, together with the Mayor of Pendle, who attended as a special guest to mark the occasion.
The Life Skills Café has been established as part of Pendle Borough Council's Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) programme. The Fund, supported by Government funding, aims not only to provide help for people experiencing financial hardship but also to build long-term resilience by connecting residents with practical advice, skills and support before problems reach crisis point.
Operating every Monday from 10am to 2pm at the Pavilion Community Hub and Café in Victoria Park, Nelson, the Life Skills Café provides a welcoming, open-access environment where local people can receive free advice, guidance and support on issues including money management, debt, benefits, employment, housing, health and wellbeing, digital inclusion and confidence building.
The initiative has been designed to encourage early intervention, helping people address challenges before they escalate into wider problems.
The first phase of the project brings together Citizens Advice, Christians Against Poverty (CAP) and the Pendle Primary Care Network, with further organisations expected to join as the service develops.
Rauf Bashir, the project manager at Pavilion Community Hub and Café, said: “The Life Skills Café is about much more than providing advice. We want to create a place where people feel welcome, where organisations work together rather than in isolation and where residents can access the support they need to improve their wellbeing, build resilience and regain confidence.
Coun. Nadeem Ahmed, the Mayor of Pendle, said: “Today's launch demonstrated the strength of partnership working across Pendle and we're excited to continue developing the service with organisations from across the Pendle Resilience Network.”
The Pavilion Community Hub hopes the Life Skills Café will become a focal point for collaboration between voluntary organisations, statutory services and community groups, creating easier pathways for residents to access joined-up support.
For further information please email [email protected].