A rural church in Bodenham offers local people a space to meet and chat monthly.
The cafe started as a way to try to reach new people who don't attend church regularly and for the community to see the church as a safe and welcoming place, not just on Sundays.
The pop-up café, run by volunteers, started a year ago and opens its doors on the first Saturday of each month. In the last year, it has welcomed up to 50 people a month, who turn up for a chat and cuppa.
"There is a group of core regulars who come each month. These are mostly people from the church who come regularly. There are others that we’ve welcomed from the wider community or other churches from our benefice. We often have walkers pop in too - the church is on a good walking route around Bodenham, so often people drop in who are just passing.” Explains Rosie Roberts, a volunteer and member of the community.
Last Summer, the church held a weekly pop-up café to welcome Ukrainian people to the village.
“The first week, we had many people come from all over Herefordshire, some from as far away as Whitbourne! It was lovely to give Ukrainian guests and their hosts a chance to connect, spend time together, and get to know each other,” adds Rosie.
“It has also been a great way of connecting with those on the fringes of the church community; two volunteers who help to run the cafe are not regular churchgoers but have been a key part of the Pop-Up Cafe team.”
We hope to continue to run the café throughout 2023 and are exploring other forms of "Pop up" which we might be able to do at the church - we are already planning a “Pop up Cocktail Bar” in April.
To find out more details about Pop-up Café at Bodenham Church, please contact Rosie Roberts by E-mail