Cambridge City Council is launching an exciting new partnership that will transform the café at the Meadows Community Centre in Arbury into a vibrant, community-centred space for great food and opportunities.
Cambridge Sustainable Food has been appointed as the new operator of the café. The café – The Arbury Social – will operate from Monday to Friday.
Through the café and its programmes residents will be able to enjoy healthy, affordable food while benefiting from a project that generates skills, volunteering opportunities and provides a place to connect and build community.
The café will be temporarily closed to allow construction work to take place. The works will create improved facilities equipped to prepare freshly cooked meals daily. The café is expected to reopen by mid-summer.
New Meaning Foundation will be carrying out the building works to create a high-quality, café and kitchen. They are an award-winning social enterprise that provides training, employment and pathways into skilled work, which aligns with the council’s commitment to supporting skills development.
This partnership reflects the council’s ongoing commitment to supporting local communities, investing in local people and local organisations who make a real difference to people’s lives.
Whilst the works are underway, the community centre will remain open and the centre will continue to offer drinks and grab-and-go snacks from reception during the construction works.
Cllr Anna Smith, Cabinet Member for Communities, said: “I’m thrilled that Cambridge Sustainable Food will be running a café providing affordable, locally sourced food that minimises waste.
“Working with New Meaning Foundation also means that we are supporting an organisation that provides an opportunity for people who have huge potential, but who have faced barriers to getting a job.
“From start to finish, this project is about supporting local people, local communities, and local organisations. I am excited to see what we can do when we work together in partnership.”
Sam Dyer, CEO of Cambridge Sustainable Food said, “I'm delighted that the build for The Arbury Social is now underway. It’s especially exciting to be working with New Meaning Foundation so young people can gain skills and experience through the kitchen build, and we’re hugely grateful to Cambridge City Council for their partnership in helping bring this community café to life.”
John Evans from New Meaning Foundation said, “New Meaning Foundation are truly grateful and honoured to have been trusted with this project by the City Council. We hope this can lead to a pipeline of such projects, that can give supported employment opportunities to our young colleagues, who come from really tough backgrounds and the lower-income areas of Cambridge and surroundings.”
A community led, socially responsible vision
This project brings together three organisations with strong social missions:
- Cambridge City Council – committed to creating inclusive, resilient neighbourhoods and enabling local communities to thrive.
- Cambridge Sustainable Food – promoting local, sustainable, planet friendly food and strengthening community food networks.
- New Meaning Foundation – supporting people facing barriers to employment through hands-on construction, training and paid work opportunities.
By working together, partners are creating a model for how local authorities, social enterprises and community organisations can collaborate to deliver real social benefit.
