Welcome to The Listening Cafe

Come to Talk, Share, Play, Eat, Drink, Discuss, Read

What is The Listening Cafe?

The Listening Cafe is a not for profit organisation that provides an environment where people come together to talk.

Unlike a traditional coffee shop it's not about finding a table on your own or with a friend it's about connecting with other people in your community.

Everyone that comes is looking to share their life, their loves, their worries, their issues and wants to listen to yours ... a problem shared and all that ... you are not alone.

Meeting new people isn't always easy so at The Listening Cafe we break down these barriers in numerous ways:

You'll wear a badge with your name (or nickname if you prefer to remain anonymous) so immediately everyone knows your name, the biggest hurdle over with in a second;

There are games to play like backgammon, draughts, chess and scrabble ... so if talking doesn't come easy you can get comfortable and share the moment without feeling the need to speak until you're ready (and have fun in the meantime!);

There will be puzzles to collaborate on ... building a bond whilst giving plenty of space to talk and be heard;

Whilst the unlimited water, Teas and Coffees keep you hydrated you're invited to bake and share your creations. Giving you a reason to get back to baking if that's your thing;

No expensive drinks or food, no rush to leave - stay all day.

Book Club:
There is a book of the month so you can read at leisure and discuss at The Listening Cafe

The Archers:
Why listen alone when you can come to The Listening Cafe and talk about it afterwards? So we play The Archers as it airs on BBCRadio4

Poetry, music, art, stories ... you're invited to share your creations at The Listening Cafe so your voice can be heard via your creativity ... they can remain anonymous if you wish, we'll display them or discuss them, or both ... as you wish.

My Life Cards:
It can take a long time to get to know someone and sometimes we forget to mention parts of our lives that may be of great interest or help to others ... where we've lived, where we've visited, where we've served, instruments we've played, schools we went to, businesses we've been in, skills we have, favourite films, plays we've seen, sports we have or do play, activities we enjoy ... so we invite you to complete your Life Card which gives everyone an immediate insight in to who you are and most of all what they have in common and perhaps how you can help them or how you can collaborate.

The Listening Cafe organises other events, trips, walks so that you can share more easily those things you like doing or would like to do ... and of course many will make their own arrangements based on their shared interests.

The key is ... Talk, Listen and be Heard

What's the point in all this? I just want a coffee!

Do you? Well there are hundreds of beautiful independent coffee shops for that and lots of branded ones too ... but they don't address the fact that we often don't get the chance to talk ... about our feelings, what's troubling us, our hopes and fears ... and they don't provide a community where you can share life - they're more of a human car park, somewhere to stop before you go again - nothing much going on ... The Listening Cafe is much much more than that. It's your home from home, your community cafe, your social club but most of all it's where you come to talk if you want to ... where everyone is there to listen to YOU ... because we bottle things up, can't speak to friends or family, don't want to worry them ... and we can slip down a lonely path that can lead to many a place we do not want to go ...

The Listening Cafe for some is the medicine we need before we need professional help or it can be just fun and friendship ... sometimes the line is blurred and so we'll have to hand all the local support groups, help lines, counsellors and therapists  so that it's there if you need it, want it or are just curious.

Is that it, or is there more?

There's always more ...
The Listening Cafe would like to form groups of interested people that want to Campaign locally and Nationally for causes they believe in ... from organising local litter picking activities to fighting misogyny, misandry, racism and discrimination  where ever we see it.
Alone we may have a small voice but together locally and Nationally we can be very loud

Where:

To find the nearest Listening Cafe to you please email me, Jason Rich, thelisteningcafe@gmail.com


Contact Number:

Email thelisteningcafe@gmail.com and Jason will give you his direct contact number

Register Your Interest:

Everyone we speak to is excited about The Listening Cafe and having somewhere to go to talk and be heard ... and to listen to others. So that we can start a Listening Cafe near you please Register your Interest by emailing Jason at thelisteningcafe@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter @thlisteningcafe

Volunteer:

Well actually if you come to talk you come to listen so you're automatically a volunteer in that respect ... it's a shared solution to a shared problem because WE ARE NOT ALONE
However everyone has different experiences and things they love so you might want to also help design posters, creative workshops, book clubs, poetry displays, cake baking, coffee making, organising walks, talks, runs, dance, music, picnics, watersports, meditation, mindfullness ... so please contact us at thelisteningcafe@gmail.com to express all your areas of interest, experience and skills ... no qualifications necessary!!!