You might know that it is based in Victoria Park, Portsmouth. You might also know that it is one of our social enterprises and that it has become a popular go-to place for people in Portsmouth to enjoy a spot of lunch.

Something else which makes the café unique in Portsmouth is the Pay It Forward scheme, which was launched in July 2019 with support from our partner, Southern Co-op. In case you aren’t aware, Pay It Forward gives customers the chance to buy a voucher when they visit the Café in the Park, which provides a person affected by homelessness with a hot meal or drink. You can also donate online.

The menu has something for everybody – including vegans and vegetarians. I’ve visited numerous times and have always found something which suits my plant based diet – leaving me feeling very satisfied.

Let me introduce you to some of the delightful items you can enjoy when you visit the café.

Why not start your day within the beauty of the park and enjoy a ‘Full English’ breakfast, including sausage, bacon, fried egg, baked beans and a slice of toast – and wash it down with a cup of tea as you plan your day ahead. There is even a delicious Vegan alternative for people like me.

If you are visiting the café during the day, why not enjoy one of the tasty paninis or toasties. You can even tuck into one of our loaded spuds which can come topped with a selection of mouth-watering toppings such as bacon and brie, tuna mayo, cheese, as well as many other options.

You can also choose between a selection of sandwiches and even the soup of the day – which comes highly recommended as the perfect choice for a light lunch.

If you’re heading to the café with children, don’t fret! The café has a children’s menu with the children’s pick and mix box, children’s breakfast and half loaded spuds enough to keep hunger at bay. In the centre of the park is an area containing an aviary with peacocks, parrots and other exotic birds, in addition to another area with rabbits and guinea pigs that children can feed. There is also an adventurous play area for children. The main shopping area is just a few minutes away too – so the Cafe in the Park is great to have a lunch-break when shopping becomes tiring.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a café if it didn’t serve a selection of drinks, and there are plenty to choose from. You can sit back and relax with a cup of tea in hand, sample one of our flavoured milkshakes, and of course, for those who love coffee like me – choose from one of our hot coffee drinks like a latte, Americano, or a flat white – amongst others.

There are so many more options to enjoy, and every time you visit, you are helping support one of our social enterprises, which helps give opportunities to those who have been affected by homelessness. As well as this, you can even choose to pay it forward when you visit, so people who are affected by homelessness can also enjoy a hot meal or drink.

So what do you know about the Café in the Park? You know that the next time you are in the area you should pop in for a drink or something to eat.

Don’t forget to leave a review on the Café in the Park Facebook page.

We launched Pay It Forward at an event back in July thanks to the generous support of Southern Co-op. We welcomed representatives from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner,  local councillors and council staff as well as many members of the local community to the event, all of whom kick-started the donations. Since the launch, the generous Portsmouth community have donated 689 vouchers.

Staff and volunteers at the Café have been blown away by the generosity of the Café’s patrons; Café Manager Annette said “to be able to give out vouchers to disadvantaged people, have a chat with them, to be able to give a dad a voucher who otherwise would not be able to afford an ice-cream for his child on a hot day is just awe-inspiring”.  A staff member said “The homeless are so grateful – it’s great to be able to help them”.  Our chef told me proudly that “we’ve even had kids donating”.  All the customers think it’s a great idea and many have wondered why more Cafes don’t do the same thing!

As the vouchers are being distributed to the less fortunate word is getting out and patrons have been delighted to witness first-hand the benefits this single act of kindness can bring.  Craig said “It really helps with breaking the ice with the homeless – it’s great to get to know them.”

Craig continued: “patrons are asked to write comments to accompany the voucher, a recent patron wrote “hoping this little bit of kindness can bring warmth to your heart, a smile to your face and brighten your day…Enjoy.”

Initiated by staff at the Café, some of whom have experienced life on the streets, Pay It Forward is a way for the public to show they care by buying a voucher for someone less fortunate. In exchange for a £2 donation, those who are disadvantaged can get a hot drink or seasonal snack at the Café.  We then ensure that the vouchers are given to someone facing multiple disadvantages such as homelessness, poverty and/or substance misuse and will offer signposting to support if appropriate.

The Café in Victoria Park in Portsmouth is yet again going to be the focus of The Society of St. James’ activities when it plays host to the first Portsmouth based SSJ Sleep Out in November.  Supporters of the charity will collect sponsorship money to sleep out under the stars, so why not register now and join us in Victoria Park this November.

Southern Co-op colleagues have been working really hard to find different ways to support the work of the charity, and on Friday, it was the turn of Southern Co-op’s Chief Executive, Mark Smith and his senior leadership team. They met with SSJ’s Senior Management team at the Cafe in the Park, for an exploratory lunch.

Not only has Southern Co-op put the full weight of its communication and community teams behind the Pay it Forward campaign, at the Cafe in the Park, Portsmouth, but colleagues are also working hard to explore new ways to work with SSJ on future campaigns – to continue their work to help support the most vulnerable in society.

Speaking about the meeting on Friday (2nd), Chief Executive of the Society of St James, Trevor Pickup, said: “both organisations agreed to spend some time describing what we did, to see what natural areas of overlap may exist. This has the potential of us both being able to share relevant skills and experience, to the benefit of both organisations. I am excited to see what may develop as we get to know each other better.”

As part of their continued support, SSJ was chosen by colleagues at Southern Co-op’s head office to be their charity of the year.

We continue to be amazed by Southern Co-op’s commitment to us as a charity and we can’t wait to see where the partnership goes next!